Sudden Misery
by AshleyMocha12
Summary: Spin-off from the Blackwater fic "Obsessed". Seth finds himself questioning if he's the father of his three daughters after he finds out that his wife, Alicia, has been cheating on him. Will he find a way to cope with everything, or allow his life to fall to pieces?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hey guys! If you're here, you probably got here from the story "Obsessed" (: This is a spin-off from that story, following Seth's storyline! I got some suggestions for this, so here it is! This is my first spin-off story, so I'm pretty excited. (: Anyway, leave me lots of reviews and let me know what you guys think! **

After leaving Leah's doorstep, Seth buckled the girls into the car. Hazel and Jasmine were on the outside in their car-seats, while Liyah sat in the middle. Seth slowly made his way into the front seat, slamming the door. The sudden noise made Jasmine begin to wail. Seth turned around to face his girls, and saw the look on Liyah's innocent face. She was smart enough to know that something was wrong with her father.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" she whispered. A tear drop fell down the bridge of Seth's nose, and that's when he realized that he was crying. Aaliyah's eyes began to swell with tears. "Daddy, did I do something wrong?"

"No baby, I _promise,_" Seth said, reaching for Liyah's hand. She looked at him with uncertainty, but her tears began to fade away.

"Then why are you crying?" she asked sadly. He pressed his lips to her hand and willed himself to be stronger than what he was.

"Daddy's tired. But sit back, okay. Everything's gonna be alright," he told her, releasing her hand. He turned back to the front of the vehicle and pulled off, driving toward the clinic. It was dark out, and there were light sprinkles of water hitting the wind shield. It was soon to storm.

"Are we going home to see mommy?" Aaliyah asked suddenly. Seth swerved on the road, waking Jasmine and Hazel from their light naps. Jasmine began to cry again, before Liyah reached over and put her pacifier back in her mouth.

"Not right now," Seth responded, pulling into the parking lot of the clinic.

"Where are we?" she asked, her voice full of caution. For a four year old, she was very precocious. Seth didn't know how to respond, so he didn't. He got out of the car and hurried to the backseat, grabbing Hazel out of her car-seat. He ushered Liyah out of the car, and grabbed the handle of Jasmine's car-seat. He walked through the clinic door, into the dimly lit waiting area.

He looked down at Aaliyah's face, and noticed her confusion as she looked around. He desperately wanted to turn and walk out the door, avoiding the looks that he'd get on his girl's faces in less than five minutes. He knew he couldn't, though. After finding Alicia on that man's doorstep, he felt that nothing she told him was true. He couldn't go through life, caring for those girls as if they were his own, if they really weren't. He prayed to _God _that they were, because he loved them more than life itself. They were all he had, now.

He walked up to the lady behind the desk and she looked up, giving him a warm smile.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, taking a second to examine his daughters. He looked down at them, and frowned.

"Um... I'd like to get a paternity test on my three daughters..." he responded, gulping. The woman's eyes widened for a split second, before replacing her facial expression with an understanding one.

"How old are they?" she wondered.

"Four, Two, and Five months," he responded lowly. She stood up and walked over to join them.

"We need proof that you're the legal parent of these girls before we can proceed," she told him, grabbing a form from her files. She turned back to face him. He sat Hazel down on her feet, as well as Jasmine's car-seat. He reached in the briefcase that he brought with him and shuffled through some papers. All three birth certificates were in there, so he pulled them out.

"I have their birth certificates. My name is right there, Seth Clearwater. I also have proof of my identity, as well as two documents of all of my information, and theirs, including social security, place of residency, everything you need," he said, handing it over to her. She looked shocked.

"Wow. You did your research," she breathed, looking down at all of it. He gave her a depressed look, holding onto Liyah's hand. She was confused as to what in the world was happening in front of her. "I have to go run some research on these to make sure that it's accurate, but I'll be right back," she told him, hurrying into the back room. Aaliyah looked up at her father.

"Who is that lady?" she asked.

"She's a nurse," he responded.

"Are we at the Doctor's?" Aliyah asked, worry to her tone. She hated the doctor's office.

"Yes, sweetheart," he told her.

"Daddy, I don't wanna be here," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his lower half. His heart broke at the sight of her.

"I'm sorry, but it'll be over soon. Then we can go home," he reassured, running his fingers through her hair.

"I'm not getting a shot, am I?" she asked. He personally didn't know the answer to that question, being that he had never experienced paternity testing before.

"I don't know. Not if you don't have to," he responded. She poked her bottom lip out.

After what felt like forever, the lady returned, with four labeled test tubes in her hands.

"Everything was accurate. Now that I know that you're a legal guardian, we can take the girls into the back. What is your preferred method of testing?" she asked him.

"Uh... what ways do you offer?" he asked.

"We can identify through blood, semen, hair, and saliva," she told him, watching as his facial expressions changed drastically. "But with these little ones, I think we can count blood and semen out of the equation."

"Definitely," he told her, an uncomfortable look on his face. "I think saliva is the safest."

"I agree. Let's take them back," she said, taking the liberty of picking Hazel up. The two-year-old was tired from her day of trick-or-treating, so she rested her head on the strangers shoulder. Seth picked up Jasmine's car seat, and held on tighter to Liyah's hand.

They walked into the back where all of the medical equipment was held. Seth took a seat in one of the chairs, sitting Liyah on his lap. Jasmine was asleep in her car seat, so he sat her down by his feet.

"I'll do this beautiful one first, this is Hazel right?" the nurse asked, trying her hardest to make this encounter as comfortable as possible. Seth nodded. He could tell that the woman was eager to find out the story behind this, but it was none of her business. She sat Hazel down on the mat, reaching over for something that looked like a cotton swab.

"Okay sweetie, can you open your mouth for me?" she asked with a sweet voice. The baby did as she was told, staring at the lady with a bewildered look. The nurse swiped the swab in Hazel's cheek, causing Hazel to groan. She took it out of her mouth, and put it carefully in a test tube with Hazel's name printed on it. Hazel was frowning, and Seth's stomach was sinking.

"I'm ready for the next one," the nurse said, looking up. Aaliyah turned around to face Seth, her bottom lip trembling. She was terrified of the doctor.

"I don't wanna go," she whispered. Seth kissed her cheek, pulling her into a warm embrace.

"It'll be over before you know it. Just do what she says," he said, walking her over to the mat. He picked her up and sat her down, smoothing her palm. She was the oldest, so it was the hardest on her.

He picked up Hazel, watching as she sleepily began to snooze on his shoulder.

"Open up your mouth for me, lovely," the woman instructed. Aaliyah kept her mouth shut, looking to Seth. He nodded, and she reluctantly opened her mouth. She repeated the same gesture to Liyah as she did to Hazel, and then put it in a test tube. It was easier to do Jasmine's, because she was crying anyway.

Lastly, Seth got his DNA taken. She put his swab in the test tube and then turned to him.

"Your results will be developed in about two days. We'll call you and let you know when to come down here," she told him. He nodded, an unsure look on his face. As he turned to leave, she reached for his wrist. "I really hope that they're yours," she whispered, sincerity in her eyes.

"Me too," he whispered back. The lights flickered, following some loud thunder. "I'll see ya in two days."

With that, he got his girls together and headed outside. By they time they were all buckled up, Seth was soaked. They rode home in silence, Seth dreading the moment that they'd get home. The girl's would undoubtedly be in search of their mother.

Seth pulled into the driveway and drove into the garage, thankful that he wouldn't have to be out in the rain again. He turned around and noticed that the girls had all snoozed off.

He woke them up, hoisting Hazel on his shoulder, grabbing Jasmine's car-seat, and walking Liyah into the house. Sleepily, Liyah walked around, in search of her mother.

"Where's mommy?" she asked. Seth's heart broke a little more.

"She'll be home tomorrow," Seth responded, walking over to crouch down to her level. Liyah looked upset.

"But I miss her now," she argued.

"I know, but she'll be home tomorrow. You'll see her soon," Seth responded. He desperately hoped that it was true.

He got the girls bathed up, and took Jasmine into the nursery. He held for about a half an hour, not wanting to release her. He sat down in the rocking chair and pressed his lips to her warm temple.

"I love you with all of my heart," he whispered, being sure not to wake her up. "No matter what, you'll always be my baby."

Seconds later, Aaliyah walked into the nursery, holding Hazel's hand. They were both dressed in their Hannah Montana night gowns.

"We can't sleep, daddy," Aaliyah whispered.

"Yeah, daddy," Hazel said, her baby voice causing Seth to smile.

"Okay, girls. Let daddy put Jasmine in the crib and you guys can sleep with me," he told them. He walked over and carefully laid her down in the crib, turning the monitor on. He grabbed the other one and ushered the girls out the room. He brought them into the master bedroom and frowned at the empty spot, where Alicia once slept.

He climbed in on his side, as the girls hurried into the bed.

"I wanna lay next to daddy!" Aaliyah screamed.

"No, me!" Hazel argued. Seth grabbed Hazel and lay her across his chest, as Liyah curled up beside him.

"Goodnight, girls," Seth said, pulling them close.

"Night, daddy," they said in harmony. The girls slowly drifted off to sleep, as Seth remained awake. His mind was in too much commotion for him to get _any _type of sleep. If this were how all of his nights were going to be, he was at least thankful that he had his girls there to help him through it.

**Author's Note: What'd you guys think of the first chapter? Lemme know. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Liking the response so far. :) I have some plans for this story, but I'm not quite sure how long I'm going to make it. So, enjoy the next chapter! You guys will be introduced to Alicia, by the way. ;) **

Seth awoke the next day, his alarm clock blaring. He decided to set it, so that he could get Aaliyah up in time to take her to school. She must not have been disturbed by the alarm, because she was still snoozing comfortably. He shook her lightly, pressing his lips to her tanned cheek.

"Wake up, princess," he told her, watching as she slowly blinked to consciousness. She turned on her side, snoring lightly once again. Seth tickled her, causing her to jolt up with giggles.

"Stop it, daddy!" she screamed, scrambling out of the bed. By now, Hazel was awake, whining about the noise. Seth stood up from the bed, taking Hazel in his arms.

"School time," Seth said, guiding Liyah into the bathroom. "Brush your teeth, and don't forget to floss. I'll run your bath for you," he said, walking over to the gigantic bath-tub in the master bathroom. For being on his own, he could admit to himself that he was doing a pretty good job. He dreaded the fact that he'd probably have to get used to being by himself.

He sat Hazel on the edge of the tub, and turned the water on. He poured some bubbles into the running water, allowing it to rise.

Aaliyah was brushing her teeth, humming the theme song to her favorite cartoon. She began to bounce up and down, swinging her hair around. Seth allowed himself to smile for the first time in a week. He loved his daughter so much.

"Okay, super star. Come take your bath so I can take you to school," he announced. She rinsed her mouth and turned to him.

"But mommy usually takes me to school," she responded, a frown on her face. Seth felt a sting, thinking of his wife. He didn't have a clue to where she was. For the past two days, she's been MIA. Did she even care to see about her children? Seth didn't think his situation could get any worse.

"She's not home to take you, is she?" he snapped, regretting his words as soon as they came out. Aaliyah pouted, crossing her arms.

"Where is she?" she asked, demanding an answer. Seth opened his arms, and Liyah contemplated on whether or not she wanted to walk into them.

"Come here," he said softly, taking a deep breath. Being that Liyah couldn't stay mad at her father, she fell into his arms, holding on tightly. "I don't know where she is right now. Me and mommy are going through some things right now, but I don't want you to worry about it. Your mommy is fine, though. I know she'll be home soon, but for right now, I really need you to get ready so I can take you to school. Okay, pumpkin?" he said, kissing her forehead. She had dozens of questions, but she simply nodded. Seth hated the fact that he had to tell her about what was going on, but she was old enough to know. That's what made it worse.

…

After dropping Aaliyah off at school, Seth returned home with Hazel and Jasmine. He had picked Hazel up a breakfast happy meal, and fed jasmine her formula, and some baby apricots. He was beginning to feel relieved that he had quit his job as a construction worker weeks earlier, because if he hadn't, he wouldn't have anyone to take care of the girls.

Seth took out his phone and stared at Alicia's cellphone number, taking a deep breath. He _wasn't _going to call her. Why should he?_ She _was supposed to be the one begging at his feet for forgiveness. The thing that he hated the most about this whole situation, was the he was still in love with her. He was angry at her, but her loved her so much that it killed him inside.

"Daddy, I sleepy," Hazel said, running by his feet. He was seated on the couch, watching as Jasmine swung back and forth in her swinger.

"Nap time?" he asked, picking her up. She nodded enthusiastically, settling onto Seth's lap. He began rocking her, as she rested her head on his shoulder. Even though Hazel was capable of falling asleep on her own, she still enjoyed getting rocked to sleep by Seth. He didn't mind much, either.

After a few minutes, she dozed off. He laid her down on the couch, and looked over to Jasmine. She was also asleep. He stood to his feet and flexed his muscles, turning toward the kitchen. His heart practically skipped a bit at what he saw. Alicia was standing there, staring at him with red, puffy eyes.

"Alicia," Seth breathed, confusion written all over his face. He didn't even hear her come through the door. Even though she was in tears, she was so beautiful. Her caramel-toned skin, her plump, pink lips, her long eyelashes, and curvacious body– there were no words for how impossibly gorgeous she was. He almost felt the urge to forgive her for every sin she ever committed... almost.

"Seth, I..." she began, trailing off. She didn't know what to say. After being gone for two days, seeing him again was overwhelming.

"I can't even look at you," he spoke, turning away from her. That's when she became desperate, making her way toward him.

"Please listen to me," she pleaded softly, reaching to grab his arm. He backed away before she could make contact with him, scooting against the counter top.

"Why should I? After what I saw the other day, that was it for me. It showed me that everything we _ever _had was bull," he spat. She gasped, her eyes pooling with fresh tears.

"Now _that's _bull! Seth, I know that what I did was wrong but-

"But what?" he demanded. She clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head.

"I was being stupid," she cried. He nodded in agreement.

"Damn right, you were," he muttered. "And that's why I took the liberty of getting the girls tested." Alicia looked up at him with horror filled eyes.

"You did _what_?" she gasped.

"I got a paternity test on them. Good thing I did, too. I have to look out for myself," he said triumphantly. By now, Alicia's tears were streaming freely down her face.

"How could you do that? How could you even formulate that kind of thought in your head? Those kids are _without a doubt _yours!" she said, raising her voice.

"How the hell am I supposed to know that for sure!" he shouted back.

"When have I ever lied to you?" she said back, almost immediately. Seth gawked at her words.

"Are you kidding me? For starters, you lied on our wedding day. What happened to your vow to stay faithful to me? You obviously couldn't keep that promise. Who knows, you've probably been screwing around on me throughout our whole marriage!" he screamed. He prayed that he hadn't woken the girls.

"I swear, I didn't do that. I know this doesn't make it any better, but... this was the first and _only _time that I've ever done something like this," she said, her tears clearing up. She inched closer to Seth, but he remained stiff as a rock.

"I can't trust you," he whispered, shaking his head. "I love you so fucking much, but you hurt me. I don't think I can ever forgive you for that," he declared, tears stinging his eyes. Alicia's body began to tremble with sobs, as she clenched her fists.

"Seth, I love you. I've _always _loved you. I was _such _an idiot, but you can't do this. We have three kids!" she said, walking closer so that their bodies were barely touching.

"Exactly. We have three kids, so why didn't that stop you from _cheating _on me? Why wasn't having three kids enough for you to stay faithful to me? Don't pull that card on me, you have no right," he shot back. She stayed silent, nodding slowly. "And where the hell were you? Getting dicked down by your little boyfriend for two days?"

Seth was using vulgar language, which he usually never used. He was just so _angry,_ he didn't know what to do.

Alicia shook her head, wrapping her arms tightly around him. For a split second, Seth wanted to forget about all of their problems and hold onto her forever. The smell of her hair, and the feel of her soft skin, he almost did just that. He was stronger than that, though. He grabbed her arms, pulling them away from him. She stared at him with a mixture of confusion and hurt.

"I want a divorce," he said, causing her jaw to hit the ground. No matter how much it pained him to say those words, it needed to be done. He had to leave.

**Author's Note: I know this chapter wasn't too long, but don't hate me! :P Lol, let me know what you guys think is gonna happen. Is Seth REALLY gonna divorce her? Can't wait to read your responses. (: **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I'm starting something new! It's called "Ashley's FanFic Explosion!" Don't know what that is? It's when I write two one-shots, for FOUR different fandoms! The fandoms will be Degrassi, Hunger Games, Twilight, and Harry Potter. I will be doing this every three months, and the dates will consist of March 30th, June 30th, September 30th, and December 30th of this year! So, mark your calendars for the explosion. ;) Enjoy the next chapter of Sudden Misery, where you FINALLY get to see the results! **

Seth couldn't think straight after the events of his day. Finding Leah and Jay Jay in the state that they were in put him in the worst mood that he's probably ever been in. On top of all of that, his fate was just a few short minutes away.

As he drove toward the clinic, the only thing that went through his mind was that the girls _weren't _going to be his. He didn't know what he would do if those tests turned out negative. He just hoped and prayed that he wouldn't have to find out. He pulled into the parking lot of the clinic and took a deep breath.

"Alright, Seth. Just... be strong. You can do this," he told himself. He climbed out of the car and walked through the glassed doors of the clinic.

Once again, he locked eyes with the woman behind the desk. She already knew who he was, and had his file sitting on her desk. He walked toward her, an uncomfortable look on his innocent face.

"I'm Seth Clearwater. We met two days ago. I'm here to pick up the results of my... paternity tests," he said, clearing his throat. She gave him a long look before handing over his file.

He took it from her, and took a deep breath. He turned away from her, and did a quick prayer before pulling the first paper out of the envelope.

**Aaliyah Clearwater- **[positive] **match to Seth Clearwater **

He breathed a sigh of relief, his heart thudding against his ribcage. Now, there were two more papers that he had to read. He could only hope that he'd get the same results.

He pulled out the second paper, and began to read.

**Hazel Clearwater- **[positive] **match to Seth Clearwater **

"Oh, thank God," he breathed, overwhelmed with happiness. Hazel and Aaliyah were both his, and he was grateful at the fact. Suddenly, his mood fell. He still had one more paper to look over. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

Blindly, he pulled the last piece of paper out of the envelope. He counted to three, and then opened his eyes.

**Jasmine Clearwater- **[positive] **match to Seth Clearwater**

Seth almost cried out with excitement. All three girls were _his. _After days of stressing himself out about it, he could finally be reassured. His suspicions could be put to rest.

He turned around to face the woman, tears in his eyes. She smiled cheekily at him, folding her hands.

"I knew you'd be happy," she whispered, satisfied with the results. He nodded, and tucked the papers back into the envelope.

"Thank you. _So_ much," he told her. She simply nodded, and gave him a reassuring wink.

He exited the clinic, out into the cool air. He didn't think that it was possible to feel so relieved. At least he knew that Alicia's cheating most likely didn't start until recently.

Seth hated to admit that he was the most scared about Jasmine. She was the youngest, and her features hadn't completely matured yet, so he couldn't exactly tell if she favored him. She was, without a doubt, as beautiful as her mother.

He began to drive toward his house, anxious to wrap the girls up in tremendous hugs. He couldn't even think about anything else.

…

After about a good half hour of holding his girls, watching as they gave him confused looks, he laid them down for naps. Alicia was sitting in their bedroom, her eyes just as swollen as they were the night before. After telling her that he wanted a divorce, she spent the rest of the night pleading with him. He ended up kicking her out of the room, forcing her to sleep in the room with Aaliyah.

Seth eased into the room, a serene look on his face. Alicia looked up at him, and sighed heavily. He took one good look at her, and shook his head.

"You really shouldn't be the one crying," he spat, crossing his arms. She ran one of her hands through her hair and closed her eyes.

"I can't stand you hating me like this," she whispered. Seth didn't hate her. He _couldn't _hate her. She was the mother of his children; the woman who he vowed to spend the rest of his life with. No matter what she did, he couldn't hate her.

"I got the test results today," he said, causing her to look up at him with curiosity.

"And?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"They're mine," he responded. She nodded, and shook her head, as if in disbelief.

"I can't believe you even went through all of that. You _had _to have known that those were your babies," she said.

"You gave me a reason to doubt that. If anything, it's _your _fault," he retorted. She clamped her mouth shut, knowing that he was right.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking deep into his eyes. Seth looked right back into hers, and saw just how hurt she really was. She was angry with herself, just as she needed to be.

"I need to go to the hospital," he said, dismissing himself.

"Want us to go with you?" Alicia asked, jumping out of the bed. She trailed after him, but he shook his head. He turned to face her, a warning look on his face.

"You're the _last _person that Leah is going to want to see when she wakes up," he said coldly, giving her a disgusting glare. Her bottom lip quivered, but she understood.

Without a word more, he left the house.

He didn't choose to continue to hurt Alicia's feelings. He didn't feed off of the fact that she was just as depressed as he was, but he was angry. He wasn't going to pretend like she didn't do what she did.

He was going to make her feel the pain that he felt, one way or the other.

**Author's Note: I know, I know, SUPER short chapter. /: I've just been so busy writing this WHOLE weekend, but I'll make up for it next week! :) leave me some reviews, and let me know if your predictions for the paternity tests were right! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: What's up, guys? This chapter, it's going to be from Alicia's POV! It's about time that you guys get some insight on _why_ she actually did what she did. Hope you enjoy, and leave me some reviews!**

Alicia sat on the edge of the bathtub, watching as the water slowly filled it up. She couldn't focus on anything but her roaming thoughts of Seth, and the way that he was treating her. She knew that she deserved it, but it still felt miserable.

She didn't think that Divorce was in Seth's vocabulary. When he voiced his words to her that day, she felt as if everything she had ever loved was torn away from her. She imagined whether or not Seth felt the same way when he found out about what she had done.

The truth was, she didn't even _know _why she cheated on him. She had everything she ever wanted; Seth was more than enough for her. But, when Chad, her co-worker, began to pay more attention to her, she couldn't help the light crush that she formed for him.

Chad was tall, tan, with a smile that could stop any girls heartbeat. She always had a thing for him, but he never really knew who she was. When they started to talk to each other more around work, he began to show interest in her. He knew that she was married, but in this generation, that didn't really matter to them.

Truthfully, Alicia regretted the fact that she spent extra hours in the morning, dressing to impress Chad. She regretted spending time with him outside of work, and allowing him to consume her interest, more than her own husband did. She regretted getting intoxicated with him, allowing him to touch her in places that only Seth could have had access to.

Seth never did _anything _to deserve that. Alicia was simply caught up in the idea of being in another man's arms, but it cost her so much more than she ever intended.

The bath water began to reach the highest that it could go, and reluctantly, Alicia moved from her spot and turned it off. She was hoping that in some sort of way, Seth would walk in and join her, like old times. She knew that was asking for a lot, though.

She slowly slid into the tub, allowing the warm water to relax her tensed bones. The smell of the bubbles began to tickle her nostrils, allowing her to slide down further.

As always, the most negative thoughts began to invade her peace. She didn't know how much longer Seth would allow her to stay in their house, but since he ultimately paid the rent, he had the power to kick her out.

She was already sleeping on the couch, and she was surprised at the fact that Seth hadn't told her to sleep outside with the mosquitoes.

She heard the sound of the door click open, and she looked up. She was hoping that it would be her husband, but it was Aaliyah. She had on her pajamas, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Mommy, I can't sleep," she whined, even though sleep was evident in her tone. Alicia patted the spot on the edge of the tub, and Aaliyah took a seat.

"Why can't you sleep, baby?" she wondered. Aaliyah shrugged her shoulders, but her mother could tell that something was upsetting her.

"What's wrong?" she whispered, reaching up to run her wet fingers through her daughters hair. Aaliyah took a second to respond, but she finally sighed and looked up at Alicia.

"I don't want to hear you and daddy arguing anymore," she said innocently, a frown on her face. Alicia's heart skipped a beat, as the realization dawned on her. Not only were her and Seth going through the agony of her dumb decision, but their kids were as well.

"But... we weren't arguing, sweet heart. We were just... disagreeing," she told her. It was _half _of the truth. Aaliyah was a smart four year old, and she knew otherwise.

"I heard daddy say that he didn't want you around. Does that mean that you're leaving, mommy?" she asked, worry to her tone. Alicia's throat tightened, and she honestly didn't know how to respond. She shook her head.

"No. I'm not going anywhere," she said, unsure of herself.

"You promise?" Aaliyah asked softly. Alicia tugged at her lip; she didn't want to make a promise that she couldn't keep.

"I promise that I'll _never _leave you, no matter where I am," she said. Aaliyah gave her a long look, before hopping down from the edge of the bathtub.

"Goodnight, mommy," the disappointed child said, walking toward the door.

"Goodnight, baby," Alicia called, frowning after her daughter. The last thing that she wanted was for her kid to feel the way that she did. She was supposed to be enjoying her youth, not wondering whether or not her mother was going to leave her.

Alicia slid further down, allowing the water to reach the tip of her nose. She hoped that in one way or another, the water would drown her sorrows away.

…

Alicia awoke to a ruckus, listening as Jasmine continued to wail helplessly. At the sound of her baby's cries, she darted into her bedroom. Seth was rocking her on his shoulder, while trying to get something unstuck from Hazel's hair.

Alicia walked over to see what was going on, and apparently, some honey and cereal had managed to tangle itself in Hazel's hair.

"How did this happen, Hazel?" Alicia asked, crouching down to her daughters level. Seth looked down at her, backing up a bit. Alicia pretended not to notice.

"Liyah sprinkled in my hair," she said, her brown eyes swelling with tears. Alicia quickly wiped them away, hoisting the child on her waist.

"Aaliyah!" Alicia shouted, marching out of the room. She found Aaliyah hiding behind the couch, a thing of honey hugged to her chest. She looked up at her mother with a horrified expression.

"What on Earth is the matter with you? Why did you pour that in your little sisters hair?" she demanded. Aaliyah stood to her feet, and looked toward the ground. "Answer me!"

"It was an accident," she said softly, avoiding her mothers gaze.

"Accident? _How _was that an accident? You know good and well-

"Don't yell at her like that," Seth said, coming from out of Jasmine's bedroom. Confused, Alicia looked over at him. In all of the years that they've been married, he _never _questioned her parenting.

"What?" she asked him.

"I said, don't yell at her like that. If she said it was an accident, then let it go. Things happen, _remember_?" he spat, glaring at her. He was mocking her, in the worst way possible. "Don't do this right now," she warned. "Not in front of them."

"Do what?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"You know what the hell I'm talking about!" she shouted.

"See? This is what _I'm_ talking about! All you guys ever do is fight!" Aaliyah cried, running toward her room. There was thick silence in the air, as Seth and Alicia stared at each other.

Without another word, Seth sat Jasmine in her playpen and exited the house. She didn't have to ask where he was going; she knew that he'd be at the hospital, tending to his sister.

She walked toward Aaliyah's bedroom, opening the door. Aaliyah was laying across the bed, sobbing into her pillow.

Alicia walked over and sat down, running her hand down her child's back. Her hand vibrated as Aaliyah continued to cry.

"Sweet heart?" Alicia whispered. Aaliyah slowly looked up, her eyes swollen and bloodshot.

"I-I thought that if you and d-daddy were yelling at m-me, you wouldn't y-yell at each other," she cried, trying to catch her breath. "T-that's why I poured the h-honey in her hair, because I thought that y-you and daddy would be mad at m-me."

Alicia's heart began to pound against her ribcage, shaking her head. If this was the way that her daughter was going to start acting, then she knew that she had to do something.

"I don't want you to worry about me and daddy," Alicia said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "We're going to be alright."

Aaliyah didn't respond, she just continued to sniff quietly. Alicia didn't think that it was possible for a four year old to be as paranoid as her daughter was.

Alicia's phone buzzed, and she reached over to look at it. It was a text from Chad.

_How's everything going with hubby? ;)_

Alicia looked to Aaliyah hesitantly, before slipping out of the room. She quickly dialed his number, and listened as the phone rang.

"I thought you'd never call," he said, his voice husky and seductive.

"You have to stop texting me," she whispered, licking her lips. "I can't continue to cheat on my husband. We have to stop whatever it is that we have going on."

"But, I thought you didn't even want to be with that loser," Chad said, sounding offended.

"I love him, Chad. I like you a lot, but I can't do this. My husband means _too_ much to me; my kids mean too much to me. I have babies. My family needs me, and I need them. I really hope that you can understand that."

The other end of the phone was silent for a while, until Chad groaned a bit.

"Whatever. I mean, you're cute and all, but there are plenty of other girls out there. Good luck with the rest of your life," he said, before the line went dead. Alicia took the phone from her ear, gaping at it confusedly. So just like that, it was over? He didn't even put up a fight... she couldn't help the fact that she was almost hurt by it.

…

At around 10, Seth had finally come home. Alicia was sitting on the couch, Hazel asleep across her lap. She had spent the past two hours washing the honey out of her hair, and blow drying it. Seth walked past the couch, his eyes resting briefly on Alicia and Hazel. Before he could disappear from sight, Alicia decided to speak up.

"How's Leah?" she asked. Seth paused, and slowly turned to face Alicia. He contemplated on responding, but sighed.

"She's going to be okay. She went home today, but she's a little traumatized. I honestly don't see her getting better any time soon," he said, with a mildly depressed tone. Alicia almost wanted to smile, being that Seth had finally talked to her without giving her his signature glare. She refrained, and frowned instead.

"I'm really sorry about that. I hope she's going to be back on her feet soon," she told him. He nodded, and walked to the master bedroom. She looked down at her daughter, giving her a gentle peck.

Maybe, just maybe, she'd find a way back to Seth's heart again. Lord knows that she wanted to.

**Author's Note: How do you guys feel about Alicia now? :P let me know in your reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thanks to the people who are reading and reviewing this story, it means a lot to know that at least some people are enjoying it. Thanks again, and enjoy this next chapter. **

Jacob cheated on Leah. He actually did it, and Seth couldn't believe his ears when Leah called him and told him. After going through his problems with Alicia, he felt bad for his sister in every aspect.

It took everything in him not to kill Jacob when he came to his doorstep, after Leah had kicked him out. If he seriously thought that he was going to stay around _his _house after he had been fucking around on his sister, he had another thing coming to him.

Alicia walked into the bedroom, and just the sight of her made him think about Jacob. His jaw clenched.

"You and Jacob should really think about going on a first date. You're _perfect _for each other," he spat, his face red with anger. Her lips parted as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"Okay, that is _not _fair," she argued.

"No! You know what's not fair? The fact that me and my sister devoted our lives to two people who couldn't be honest with us! That we chose to spend our lives with some no good cheaters!" spit was flying from his mouth, and he couldn't hold himself back. Alicia's bottom lip was trembling, and he knew that she would start to cry soon.

"I can tell that you're not going to be able to let this go, so here," she said, walking over and dropping some papers into his lap. His heart stopped at the sight of them; they were divorce papers. He was the one who had filed them, but apparently, she found them. Once he looked close enough, he noticed that she had tear streaks going down her cheeks. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and looked into her eyes.

"Do you have a pen?" he asked. He noticed the flicker of anger in her eyes, but she handed him the pen. Hesitantly, he scrolled down to the 'husband' line, and wrote his signature with shaky hands. He handed the paper to her, and she looked as if she weren't going to take it. After a minute, she snatched the paper away from him.

After shedding a few tears, she wrote her signature on the 'wife' line. Now, all that had to be done was sending the papers in, and waiting the few months for it to be final. She looked up at him, and licked her lips.

"Well, I'll just take this to the mailbox then," he said, taking it from her. As he stood to walk away, she called after him.

"Wait!" she said, causing him to turn around instantly. She walked up to him, standing directly in front of him. They searched each others eyes, before she wrapped her arms around his torso. It took everything in him not to respond to it, but he couldn't help resting his hands lightly at her waist. She let out a sob, and then pulled away.

"I just wanted to know what it felt like to be in your arms again," she whispered, wiping away a tear. He stared at her with a frown, and looked away before he could do something stupid, like hugging her again.

He turned on his heel and walked away; if he didn't put those papers in the mail now, he'd never do it.

…

Later that night, Alicia sat in the bathroom, and looked on her iPad. There was a video on there from their anniversary, when they took a trip to the Bahamas. She watched it over and over, feeling worse and worse.

By signing those papers, they made the first step to ending their marriage. As much as she didn't want to, she _had _to sign them. Even more, because it was _her _fault. She turned on the song _If it's love_ by _Kem._

_I'm sitting here in my bed_

_I've been thinking about everything that's been said_

_I realize what's at stake_

The words related so much to her, and she couldn't help the fact that she thought about Seth the whole time that she listened to it.

_I need you here in my life_

_And we both know, that's a hard thing to fight_

She closed her eyes and began to whisper along to the song, feeling how heavy her heart was.

_It it's love, it'll last a lifetime_

_Deep in my heart, I know baby_

_If it's love, it'll last forever,_

_It'll just start to show _

She hoped and prayed that her love for Seth could find a way to reverse his opinion of her. She got up off of the floor, and walked into the kitchen. Aaliyah was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal, and Hazel was playing with some dry cheerios. She figured that Seth was in the nursery with Jasmine.

"Hey, babies," Alicia said, taking a seat across from them.

"Hey, mommy," Hazel greeted, putting one of the cheerios in her mouth. Alicia looked toward Liyah, and knew that she heard them arguing earlier.  
"Do you guys want to go to the mall tomorrow?" Alicia asked, hoping to brighten the mood. Aaliyah looked up at her and shook her head, dropping her spoon in the cereal.

"Daddy said that we're going to church tomorrow," she told her. Alicia forgot that it was Sunday tomorrow. She nodded, and smiled sadly.

"Okay," she responded. "Goodnight, love."

"Night," Liyah responded, and walked off toward her room. Alicia tugged at her lip and frowned, thinking of her child. Things weren't going good– they weren't going good at all.

**Author's Note: I recommend that you guys listen to that song If Its Love. :) Reviews? :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hopefully this chapter is going to be a bit longer than the last. :) I had this thought about Seth and Alicia, and I really wanted to work my way into it. :D Btw, if you guys wanted to know who I kind of pictured as Alicia, search up Kiersey Clemons. :D She's reallyyy pretty. **

Seth wasn't playing around when he said that they were going to attend church that next day. Alicia would have went, but she didn't think that Seth would appreciate it too much. Instead, she stayed home and cleaned up. It was the only thing that she could do to feel like she was actually needed in their home.

The front door opened as Alicia placed the last dish in the cabinet. She turned her head to see Aaliyah holding onto Seth's hand, with Hazel trailing after them. Seth was pushing Jasmine in her stroller. They were all dressed up, and they looked adorable. Alicia half-smiled, avoiding Seth's gaze.

"How was church?" she asked, looking down at Aaliyah. Aaliyah released her father's hand and walked up to her mother, giving her a waist-hug.

"The preacher made daddy cry," she said innocently. Alicia wrapped her arms around Aaliyah and looked up at Seth, who looked away. She bit her bottom lip and crouched down to her daughter's level.

"Preachers can do that," she said, placing a kiss to her forehead. "But let's get you out of those clothes, I know you're probably tired. How does a nap with momma sound?"

"Good," Aaliyah said, smiling wide. Alicia took her hand and led her into the girls' room. As Aaliyah took off her dress, Alicia took all of the stuffed animals out of Liyah's bed. Her bed was small, but it was big enough for the both of them to lay in.

Alicia forgot her phone in the bedroom, so she walked out to go and get it. When she walked into the master bedroom, she saw Seth sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. After a minute of standing there, she saw his body shudder; he was crying.

She didn't know whether or not she should reach out to him, so she quietly grabbed her phone and headed to the door.

"Alicia," he croaked, causing her to freeze in her spot. It made her heart thump loudly in her chest to hear him address her. She slowly turned around, a confused look on her face. He was looking straight at her, his eyes red and swollen. It broke her heart.

"Seth-

"Just listen for a minute, okay?" he asked, standing to his feet. Alicia nodded lightly. He took slow strides toward her, until they were a few feet apart. "He was preaching about forgiveness, and how we don't understand how important it is to let go of all the hate. I thought about you."

Alicia felt her insides burning, and she, too, wanted to cry. She didn't know where Seth was going with this, but she needed to hear what he had to say.

"I want to forgive you. I really do. But... I feel like if I do, you'd hurt me again."

"No, I'd never-

"Just... listen to me. I'm not just going to be able to forget what you put me through. Even if I do forgive you, I don't think things will go back to being the same. Can you understand that?" Alicia nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Yeah, I understand," she breathed. "I just... I need to prove to you that I'm not like that anymore. That... I've changed."

Seth stared at her for a good minute, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he took a deep breath and walked past her. He stopped right next to her ear, and she could feel his breath.

"Then prove it," he whispered, making a chill run down her spine. He exited the house shortly after, and Alicia had no idea where he was going.

_Then prove it. _

No matter what it took, she'd do it.

…

Alicia woke to an empty bed, and a dark room. She had to flex her muscles when she got out of Aaliyah's bed, since the bed was meant for a really short person. She walked out into the living room, and saw Seth sitting on the couch, and a couple sitting beside him. It took her a minute to remember, but she recognized them. They were Lois and Hector, two of their old acquaintances from high school.

Lois and Hector were sort of like Alicia and Seth; they've been together since forever. The difference was that Lois and Hector thought that they were better than everyone else, and had the right to judge everyone else's relationships. She didn't have the slightest idea why they were sitting in her house.

Seth looked up and fake smiled, gesturing for her to come toward him. The girls were sitting quietly on the other couch, Jasmine tucked under Aaliyah's arm. Lois' eyes lit up at the sight of Alicia.

"Um... hey, Lois... Hector. If I would have known that you guys were coming over, I would have gotten dressed," she said, looking down at her appearance. Her hair was tied up in a bun, she was in black shorts and a burgundy, long-sleeved shirt, with a strip of her stomach showing.

"You look as beautiful as I remember," Lois commented. Alicia smiled and looked toward Seth, who nodded for her to come sit next to him again. She didn't understand what was going on, but if Seth was attempting to show affection, she wouldn't shy away from it.

She walked over to sit next to him, feeling his warmth beside her. She almost leaped with joy as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Lois and Hector eyed them with suspicion, cunning smirks on their faces.

"I must say, I never would have thought that you guys would last this long," Lois remarked. Alicia felt her jaw tighten. She snaked her arm around Seth's waist, giving her a slanted look.

"Oh? Why is that?" Alicia wondered. Lois looked to Hector, who nodded.

"Well, you always seemed like the type who wouldn't stay with one person for long. It surprised us when Seth said that you were still married," Hector said, with a ginger tone. Seth took a deep breath, and looked at Alicia uncomfortably. Her stomach fell, but she wasn't about to let it be known. She tilted her head up and kissed the corner of Seth's mouth, lingering her lips there for a few seconds.

"Well, looks like we proved you wrong," she said, smiling at them. Lois nodded, and reached for Hector's hand.

"Me and Hector have a timeshare at this resort. If you guys want, we could take a couple's retreat there this summer," she offered. Alicia looked up at Seth, who panicked slightly. They both knew that they probably wouldn't be married by the summer.

"With the kids, and everything else, I don't think this is the perfect time... sorry," Seth told them. They looked to each other with questionable faces, but didn't comment any further.

Alicia couldn't hide the fact that she was enjoying every bit of being cozied up with her husband. She knew that it was risky, but she placed a kiss on his neck. He stiffened up, but leaned his neck in so that she could have more room. Without hesitance, she kissed it again.

"Well, unfortunately, we must go. We're taking a visit over to Lola and Chaz's place. Can you believe that they made it past high school?" Lois asked, rising to her feet. Hector trailed after her, as they walked toward the door. Seth unlaced his arm from around Alicia, much to her disappointment. He followed them to the door, opening it for them.

"Thanks for stopping by," Seth said.

"Thanks for having us. Your girls are _beautiful _by the way," Lois remarked.

"Thanks," Seth responded. Lois and Hector exited the house, and Seth closed the door after them. He turned toward the couch, and looked at Alicia with relief. She fumbled with her hands uncomfortably.

"Why were they here?" she asked.

"They were in town for the day, and wanted to visit their old 'friends'. They called and asked if I could meet them somewhere, so that they could come over and see you. I told them you were asleep, and they were just about to leave before you woke up," he remarked. She shrugged, and took a deep breath.

"Why did you even let them come over?" she wondered. Truth was, Seth and Hector used to be enemies in high school. They always wanted to outshine the other, no matter how big it was. When Hector began dating Lois, he thought that he was on top of the world. But, when Seth and Alicia started dating, Seth had won for sure. No matter how bad he didn't want to admit it, Seth and Hector spent majority of their lives itching to impress the other.

Seth walked into the kitchen, and grabbed a glass.

"They began talking about whether or not we were still together, and how they'd pay to see it. It began to bother me, so I brought them back," he told her. Alicia swallowed sadly, and looked toward her daughters. They didn't have any idea what was going on. Jasmine had dozed off, so her head was hanging down in front of her body. Alicia walked over and grabbed her baby.

"So, you care that much about what _Hector and Lois _have to say?" she asked, walking into the kitchen. He turned toward her and frowned.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," he commented. She didn't want to upset him, so she just nodded. He walked up to her and looked into her eyes, making her breath catch in her throat. He pressed his lips to Jasmine's forehead, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Goodnight," he breathed, walking into the master bedroom. Finally, she regained her composure. There was nothing she wanted more than to be in his arms again. At the rate things were going, she didn't know where she'd end up in the end.

**Author's Note: How do you guys feel about Seth and Alicia? Vote Yes or No for whether or not they should stay together. ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Guess what? :D There's a FanFiction Awards going on! To enter or nominate your favorite authors, visit fanfic_awards twitter. Now, enjoy the update. (:**

Seth didn't exactly know how he felt about Alicia. Did he love her? Without a doubt. Was he still _in_ love with her? Absolutely. But, the biggest question of all was whether or not he wanted to _be_ with her. He couldn't quite answer it.

It took everything in him in the beginning to not kick her out, but as the weeks passed, he realized that he didn't exactly _want_ to. It would be difficult to take care of his daughters alone, and, as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't know how he'd be able to handle being away from her.

It was around 7 AM when he woke up with a slight headache. He looked around his room, and frowned when he didn't see Alicia in the bed beside him.

It wasn't like she had been sleeping in there since what happened, but he still missed being able to roll over and wrap his arms around her.

He crept out of the bed and walked out into the living room, where she lay asleep on the couch. There was a chick flick playing lowly on the television, and some midnight snacks on the coffee table.

He took a moment to stare at her face, smiling lightly. When she fell asleep, she had a habit of pouting her lips out. Oddly, it looked adorable on her. Before he could stare at her for endless hours, he walked into the kitchen and fixed himself some orange juice.

It would be a few more hours before he had to take Aaliyah to school, so he had some time to himself. He stared at the opened bill on the dinner table, and his mood fell. Since he was out of work, and Alicia was just laid off, they had to come up with some money to pay the bills.

He didn't bother Alicia with the issue, because he felt like he could find a way to handle it on his own. Even if he had to borrow from his sister, he'd soak up his pride and do it.

He was stunned when he looked up and noticed Alicia standing in front of him.

Her hair was tangled up and she looked exhausted, but she was still beautiful. Seth didn't know what to say, so he just looked away.

"M-morning..." she stuttered, looking around awkwardly.

"Morning," he responded, taking a sip of his juice.

"Jassy has a doctor's appointment today," she said, causing him to look up with narrowed eyes.

"She does? Why?" he asked.

"Routine check-up," she responded. He nodded and took another sip.

"Are you taking her?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him, hesitantly taking a seat across from him. He looked at her timidly and sighed.

"Would you like me to come along?" he asked. She smiled a bit and nodded.

"Yeah. That would be nice," she whispered. He nodded and stood to his feet, walking off swiftly. She looked after him, taking a well needed breath. Things were much easier when she could just wrap her arms around him, as if it barely took any effort. When she could kiss him, and he'd hold her against his chest the way she liked it. When they could make love for endless hours, and simply _be _with each other without it being awkward. Unfortunately, she messed that up.

…

Seth and Alicia strode into the doctor's office, accompanied by their three children. Alicia was pushing Jasmine in her stroller, Aaliyah was walking quietly next to her father, and Hazel had her tiny arms wrapped around Seth's neck.

As the five of them went up to the desk, Alicia noticed that the woman behind the counter was eying Seth with a hungry look in her eyes. She looked young; freshly sprayed tan, blonde hair, blue eyes. Typical barbie. Good thing, Seth wasn't interested in those types of girls.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her main focus on Seth. He looked over at Alicia, and she smiled sweetly at the woman. She looked to her name tag, and noticed that her name was Julie.

"Yes, Julie. Our baby has a 4'o clock appointment with Dr. Tan," Alicia answered. At the mention of _our baby, _Julie's smile faded.

"Of course. Let me tell them that you guys are here," she said, standing to her feet. She gave Seth one last glance before trotting off to the back. Alicia turned to her husband and sighed.

"You know she was checking you out, right?" she asked. Seth narrowed his eyes.

"She was? I didn't even notice," he responded. Alicia smiled internally.

As soon as Dr. Tan walked out, they straightened up and walked into the room. Seth took the baby out of the stroller, and sat her on the miniature bed.

"How are you all doing today?" he asked, a wide smile on his face. He was a tall man with a beard, but regardless of his name, he was just as pale as pale could get.

"We're fine. Liyah made an A on her spelling test at school today," Alicia said, smiling over at her daughter. Aaliyah grinned shyly.

"Amazing! You're just as smart as your parents," Dr. Tan said, turning his attention to Jasmine. "Now, I'm just gonna make sure that her breathing is normal, and check for any problems."

Jasmine was the only one in the family who had asthma. Seth's dad had it, and Alicia was sure that someone had it in her family as well, but out of the five of them, the baby was the only one who inherited it. On some occasions, it scared the heck out of them.

Dr. Tan placed the stethoscope under her shirt as she sat there with an uncertain look on her innocent face. Dr. Tan had a hard look on his face as he moved the stethoscope around.

Seth took a seat beside Alicia, his body dangerously close to hers. Since the doctor wasn't paying any attention to them, Alicia pressed her side into his. He didn't move away, which relieved her.

Hazel was getting agitated, and hopped down from Seth's lap. She wandered over by the cabinets, an excited grin on her face.

"Hazel!" Seth whispered, standing to his feet. Alicia frowned from the loss of contact.

"Has she had an asthma attack recently?" Dr. Tan asked, turning to Alicia. She shook her head, a concerned look on her face.

"No, not since the last time I brought her here. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, it's nothing serious. Her heartbeat is a little unbalanced, so I'm gonna give her a breathing treatment. She's been getting those twice a day, correct?"

"Yes, I've been giving them to her," Alicia stated, looking over at Seth. He had a horrified look on his face.

"Awhile ago, I had forgotten to give it to her. It was just one day, but... I can't believe I forgot," he said, whispering the last part. Alicia knew that it was the day that she stayed with Chad. She looked away from Seth.

"Don't worry, Jasmine is fine. After I give her this breathing treatment, you'll only have to give it to her one more time tonight," Dr. Tan said, setting up the machine.

Seth looked at Alicia, who had her jaw clenched. How could he have _forgotten?_ She understood that there was a lot going on, but it still would have been impossible for him to forget to give it to her. It was purely irresponsible.

Once the check-up was over, they exited out into the main lobby of the doctors office. Julie gave Seth a quick smile, in which he barely returned. Once they were outside, she turned to him sharply.

"How could you forget?" she whispered through clenched teeth.

"I had other things on my mind!" He responded.

"More important than the health of our child?" Alicia shot back.

"The doctor said that she's fine!" Seth argued.

"He said that her heartbeat is unbalanced! That's not normal!" she said, raising her voice.

"She has fucking asthma, it's not _going _to be normal!" he yelled. Alicia's face fell at his words, and Aaliyah began to cry. Seth didn't realize what he had said until the words came out his mouth. It _definitely _wasn't like him to say something like that. Alicia was giving him a look of pity as she held Aaliyah's hand.

"I didn't mean to say it like that," he breathed, stepping closer to her. "You know that." Alicia took a shaky breath.

"Yeah," she said, turning around. She headed for the car, as his feet remained planted on the ground. He was screwing up, and soon, there wouldn't be a way to get past his problems with Alicia.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. _ Reviews?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I've been wayyyy too stressed out. It's almost the end of the school year, and I've just been so krfhgihgig. And I'm really upset right now because I have a D in Geometry. :( Well, enjoy the update. And Happy Mother's Day to the mommy's out there!**

Alicia had closed Aaliyah's room door, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She had just finished putting her to bed, and the house was now completely silent.

She walked out into the living room, and noticed Seth sitting on the couch. He was lost in thought, and didn't even look up when Alicia walked in. She stared at him for a minute, before poking her bottom lip out absentmindedly.

"Seth?" she whispered. He blinked slowly, and then looked up at her. He was waiting for her to continue, so she tugged at her lip. "Everything alright?" he shrugged his shoulders, and swallowed.

"What I said today... I don't know what came over me. I can't even come up with an excuse," he looked up at her, and she noticed the sad glint in his eyes. "I'm sorry." Alicia hated seeing him like that. Seth was a very sentimental man, and when he did something wrong, he beat himself up about it.

She hesitantly crossed over to him, taking a seat beside him on the couch. Their bodies were dangerously close, but neither one of them cared. She reached over and took hold of his shaking hand.

"It's okay. It's not like what you said wasn't true... Jas has asthma, so things aren't going to be easy. We just have to monitor her better, that's all," she whispered, giving him a small smile. He took a deep breath and peeked down at their hands. Alicia could have sworn that she saw him smile a bit.

"You're right," he said, looking back up at her face. "Maybe I'm overreacting a bit." they stared at each other for awhile, wondering what it would be like if they had the courage to kiss each other. Alicia scooted a bit closer to him, and laced her fingers through his slick hair.

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't overreact," she joked, laughing a bit. For the first time in a while, he grinned back. Her face turned serious again, and she leaned closer to place a kiss to his cheek. It felt good, because it wasn't for show. She meant it, and he didn't object to it. Maybe, just maybe, they were finally making progress.

Seth looked into her eyes, and inched his face closer to hers. Her heart was pounding rapidly, as she realized what he was about to do. She allowed her eyes to flutter closed, pressing her body into his. As their lips brushed against each others, they heard the sound of a thud, followed by crying. They snapped away from each other, glancing toward Aaliyah's room.

Seth stood up, heading toward the room. Alicia cursed under her breath, standing up as well. By the time she made it to Aaliyah's doorway, Seth had her in his arms, rocking her. She had fallen out of the bed, but she wasn't hurt. It was probably the fear that had her riled up.

"You're gonna be okay," Seth cooed, laying down beside her. She was still crying, but Seth had helped her to calm down. "I'll stay in here until you go back to sleep."

"Goodnight," Alicia told them, causing the both of them to look up at her. Seth gave her an apologetic sigh, but she understood. Their kids came first. She waved before closing the door again, and walking toward the couch.

Seth was about to kiss her. They were _so _close; she didn't know how to feel. Was it a one time moment between them, or was Seth still in love with her? Without a doubt, she was still in love with him. No matter what she had to do, she'd try to make it work. She just hoped that he was willing to do the same.

…

Seth looked at the money in the packet that Leah had sent him. He promised her that he'd pay her back in full, but she objected to it. He was her younger brother, and if he needed a little help, she'd give it to him.

Alicia walked into the room, and he quickly hid the money in the dresser. She paused when she saw him fidgeting around, and narrowed her eyes.

"You alright there?" she wondered. He nodded, and walked into the master bathroom. It was late in the afternoon, and Seth had somewhere to be. He checked himself in the mirror to make sure that he looked okay.

"I'll be home in a while," he said, brushing past Alicia.

"Seth, wait," she spoke, causing him to turn around. She slowly walked over to him and gave him a hug, sighing with content. He slowly laced his arms around her, taking in the scent of her hair. He loved the way it smelled. It felt like forever had passed before they finally pulled away from each other.

"I'll see you in a bit," he told her, walking out of the room. She looked after him, slouching down against the dresser. Something poked her in the back, so she turned around to see what it was. The ends of an envelope was poking out of the dresser, and she narrowed her eyes. She looked toward the empty doorway, and then tugged it out of the dresser. The back flap had some writing on it.

_I love you. – Leah_

She opened the envelope, and gasped at what it was. Dozens of 50 dollar bills, one after the other. She looked toward the empty doorway again, and clenched her jaw. Were they having money problems that she wasn't aware about? She was afraid to find out.

…

Seth pulled up to the gym, ripping off his shirt. He tossed it in the backseat, and grabbed his water bottle. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Seth went to the gym to work out. He had an insecurity about not having as much muscle as he could have, so he worked at getting bigger. No one knew about it, not even Alicia.

He strolled into the building, and headed for his favorite exercise machine. As he sat down on the bench, a sexy, athletic looking girl strolled over to him. She acted as if she were fetching some weights, but she kept glancing in his direction. That's when he realized who she was. She was the nurse from the clinic.

"Come here often?" she asked, once they had locked eyes for more than two seconds.

"Aren't you..." he began, cocking his head to the side.

"Yep. Julie, from the clinic," she said, taking a seat beside him on the bench. It was only big enough for one, so their bodies were pressed against each others. Seth felt ridiculously uncomfortable, but Julie looked content with herself. "It's crazy that this is my first time noticing you here."

"Same," he said, nodding. He looked away from her, hoping that she would get the hint and move.

"How's your wife?" Julie wondered. Seth looked back in her direction and raised his eyebrows.

"She's... fine," he responded, clearing his throat. Julie nodded, fidgeting with her sports bra. She was wearing nothing more than a pink sports bra, and some black shorts that exposed every inch of her thighs.

"That's cool. I saw you guys walking out of the clinic and she looked _mad,_" Julie said, laughing afterward. Seth didn't find anything funny about that.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna start exercising now. It was nice chatting with you," he said, standing to his feet. He walked away, over to one of the treadmills. He usually didn't like those things, but since Julie was propped up at his usual station, he had no other choice.

As he began to run, it began to get boring. He amped up the speed, and his legs began to sprint. He looked toward his usual station, and his eyes widened at what he saw. Julie had bent over to get another weight, and he had a wide view of her ass. Out of nowhere, his legs got tangled up, and he went flying backwards.

He landed with a crash against the water fountain. Everyone looked in his direction, and a few people ran over to help him up. As he stood to his feet, he felt an extreme jolt of pain in his back. He could tell that his exercising days were over for a while.

…

Seth arrived home, walking slowly into the house. It was pretty dark outside, so he figured that Jasmine and Hazel would probably be asleep. Aaliyah stayed up for hours, though.

He was hunched over, since his back was currently going through excruciating pain. He refused to see a doctor, though. He couldn't afford extra expenses.

He walked into the master bedroom, and saw Aaliyah and Alicia sitting on the bed. They were watching a movie, and Alicia was braiding Aaliyah's hair. They looked up when they saw Seth, and Aaliyah jumped down from the bed.

"Daddy!" she screamed, jumping into his arms. He cried out, and almost dropped her. She jumped down to her feet, and looked up at him confusedly. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, sweet heart," he said, placing a kiss to her forehead. He looked up at Alicia, and something looked off with her.

"Liyah, go to your room, baby. I gotta talk to daddy," Alicia said. Aaliyah looked at her mother, and then huffed. She stormed out of the room, slamming the door after her. Jesus, that girl had an attitude.

Seth was still hunched over, and Alicia noticed.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. He tugged at his lip and fell against the bed, onto his stomach.

"I hurt myself at the... at the gym," he confessed. Alicia raised one of her eyebrows.

"The gym? Since when do you go to the gym?" she asked. He poked his head up and swallowed.

"I've been going for awhile," he admitted. Originally, Alicia wanted to discuss the money that she had found, but now that Seth was hurt, she wasn't going to go into that.

"Where does it hurt?" she asked, scooting over to him. He rubbed his lower back, grunting from the pain. Since Alicia used to be a masseuse, he trusted her. She straddled his legs, and rested her hands on his back.

It felt amazing to be this close to him, and Alicia was going to take advantage of it. She began to knead her fingers into his back, and Seth let out another grunt. It didn't sound half as painful as the one he let out before, though. She continued to do her tricks, making him sigh with pleasure.

"That feels great, Alicia," he said, twisting his head to look back at her. She smiled at him, her dimples popping out. Seth laid his head back down, spreading his arms out.

Alicia felt bold, so she laid her body against his. She rested her head on his shoulder, and continued to roll her thumbs over his lower back. He didn't seem to mind, so she stayed in that position for a while.

"Thanks," he breathed, rolling over on his back. She plopped on the mattress beside him, resting her head on her arm.

"No problem," she said. He stared into her eyes for awhile, inching his hand toward her waist. She looked down at his hand, and sighed when he tugged her body against his. She looked back up at him, and blinked rapidly.

"Seth," she whispered.

"Shhh," he said, shaking his head. Without a second thought, he planted his lips against hers.

**Author's Note: Hahahah. ;) I know you're gonna hate me for ending it there, but it'll be continued next week! Leave some reviews. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: VOTE FOR ME IN THE FANFICTION AWARDS! Go to .com. :D I love you guys!**

Alicia laced her fingers through Seth's hair as his lips moved slowly over hers. She could feel his chest beating rapidly against hers, as he moved to lay between her legs. As she now lay flat on her back, she spread her legs for him to place himself between.

He broke the kiss, only to plant kisses along her neckline. She threw her head back and moaned quietly, moving her hands up and down his back. His hands rested on the waistline of her shorts, and she opened her eyes. Were they going to have sex?

She looked over at him, and his eyes locked with hers. He looked down her body, and then back up at her face. She bit her lip, and nodded her head. He smirked a bit, and then pressed his lips against hers once more.

…

Seth woke up the next morning, his back more sore than ever. It couldn't have _only _beenfrom his fall at the gym, he thought. He turned over on his side, and laid eyes on a sleeping, naked Alicia. That's when he remembered the previous night that they shared. He let a small smile linger on his lips.

It felt like a lifetime had passed before they had touched each other like that again. It felt so _good; _maybe that's why Seth thought that it was a dream. He was able to forget about _everything _that had happened between them, and just get lost in Alicia's amazing body. Her amazing _everything. _He didn't know whether or not he had entirely chosen to forgive her. He didn't forget about the pain that she put him through, or the heartache. But, he couldn't deny the fact that he _loved _her, and she was trying to make up for her mistake. He felt that he could at least _try _to let go of some of his anger.

She slowly blinked to consciousness, and instantly broke out into a smile when she saw Seth. He reached his hand up to trail it down her soft cheek, and she sighed with content. She closed her eyes once again, imagining the night that they had.

Seth was making her feel things that she had been aching from him for the longest. After all that time, it felt that they were one again. It felt like their relationship was the same. She wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could.

"What time is it?" she asked, as he put his hand back at his side. Seth looked at the bedside clock, and it read 7 AM.

"It's 7," he told her. She sighed heavily, and moved to sit up.

"I have to go get Liyah ready for school," she said, yawning. As she stood up to fetch her robe, Seth's eyes lingered on her gorgeous curves.

"I'll make breakfast," Seth said, standing to his feet. He caught Alicia glancing down at his member as he put his boxers on. He could see the blush that formed on her face as she passed him to go to the bathroom.

He followed her into the bathroom, and they brushed their teeth in silence. They snuck glances at each other, but didn't say a word. Seth left the bathroom to go make breakfast, as Alicia got the girls up.

As Seth mixed the grits, a very sleepy Aliyah, and an odd looking Hazel came walking into the kitchen. Alicia scooped Hazel into her arms, and rested her head on her chest.

"Something's up with Hazel," Alicia said, as they all sat to the table. Seth looked over at them, and narrowed his eyes. Hazel was red in the face, and she looked more tired than ever before.

"What?" he asked, turning back to the grits.

"I don't know. Maybe she's just sleepy," Alicia said, placing a kiss to her daughter's head. Crying sounded from the nursery, so Alicia sat Hazel down in her own chair. She walked off to go get the baby as Seth finished making the breakfast.

He sat a bowl of grits in front of Aaliyah, him, and Alicia's spots, and some assorted cereal in front of Hazel. He usually fed her some his food, anyway.

When Alicia came out with Jasmine, he pulled out her high chair and placed her bottle on it.

"Who's ready to eat?" Alicia cooed, holding up the bottle for Jasmine. Jasmine smiled, and reached her small hands for the bottle.

Seth sat down and began to eat, and inched the spoon of grits toward Hazel. She cried out and hit the spoon away, rubbing her eyes. Seth sighed and tried again, receiving the same results. She began to cry, her tan skin turning bright red.

"What's going on?" Seth asked frustratedly.

"Feel her head," Alicia recommended. Seth placed the back of his hand on her forehead, and frowned.

"She's pretty hot," he said, looking over at Alicia. She pouted, and stood to her feet.

"Aw, mommy's little baby is sick?" she let out, picking her up from the table. She planted kisses all over her forehead. "I'll give her some of the kids fever medicine."

Seth nodded, and sighed heavily. He hated when his babies were sick. He turned to Aaliyah.

"Finish up your food so you can put on your clothes. I'll take you to school when you're done," he said, putting the grits into his mouth. She tiredly yawned and finished her food.

Alicia walked into Aaliyah and Hazel's room, and laid Hazel down. She was still crying, but her eyes were closing. She would fall asleep soon.

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart," she said, kissing her forehead again. She had just given her the medicine, so it wouldn't take long for it to kick in.

By the time she had fallen asleep, Aaliyah had her clothes on, and was ready to go.

"I'll be right back," Seth said, walking up to Alicia. He leaned in for a kiss, and she didn't hesitate in kissing him back. Aaliyah looked at the two with wide eyes, smiling internally. She never thought that she'd see her parents do that again.

Seth walked Aaliyah out the door, leaving a blushing Alicia behind.

Alicia walked into her bedroom, finally content with the way her life was going. If things kept going the way that they were, her and Seth would be okay. She looked at the dresser, where the envelope once lay.

Hesitantly, she walked toward it. When she pulled the dresser out, it was gone. _He probably used it to pay the bills, _she thought. She still felt that it was odd that he hadn't mentioned anything about money.

If it was time for her to go out and find another job, she'd do it. Someone still needed to watch the babies, so it was either her, or Seth. _Her kids. _What if their livelihood was in trouble, and she had no idea about it? It was starting to anger her, because she desperately wanted to know what was going on. She was just afraid to bring it up to Seth without him getting mad. She really couldn't afford an argument between them.

…

Hazel's fever was beginning to let up, but not much. She was still ridiculously tired and cranky, and her face was burning up.

It was storming outside, which didn't do much to help. Seth was on the floor, playing with Jasmine. It was nice that they could sit around together, enjoying the company of their children. Alicia was just upset that Hazel wasn't feeling well.

"I want to take her to the doctor," Alicia complained, sitting on the floor next to Seth. He looked at her with seriousness, and shook his head.

"No. We go to the doctor way too much; it's like we live there," he said, dismissing her plea. Alicia narrowed her eyes.

"Seth? Look at her face! If it doesn't go down in an hour, I'm taking her," she said, dismissing _his _plea.

"With what money?" he snapped. _Bingo. _

"What?" Alicia asked, blinking rapidly. Seth regretted his words.

"N-nothing. Take her to the doctors if you want," he said, standing to his feet. He picked Jasmine up, and headed for the nursery.

"I found the money, Seth," Alicia said, causing him to pause. He turned around slowly, and sighed. She wasn't giving him a look of anger; it was more like a look of sorrow.

"I was going to tell you," he whispered. She stood up, walking up to him. She placed a kiss to his cheek, and nodded.

"Do we need to talk?" she asked, her bottom lip trembling. It took him a minute to respond, but he finally did.

"Yes," he breathed, the intensity between them overwhelming. That was the response that Alicia feared the most.

**Author's Note: I know, I know, short chapter. :p Don't forget to vote! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Hiii. :D I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter; I hope my readers are still sticking with me. :(**

Seth sat Alicia down, and sighed heavily. He didn't know how he was going to tell her about everything that was going on, so he just started out with the _truth. _

"It started after you lost your job. I hadn't been working for a while, and the bills kept coming in. And then... we started having our problems, and I felt like I couldn't trust you enough to talk to you about this," he began.

"But Seth," Alicia began, looking at him with frantic worry.

"Let me finish," he said, taking a deep breath. "I know that keeping this from you was wrong. But I didn't know how to bring it up. I thought I could handle it... but I had to borrow money from my sister, which was one of the hardest things that I've probably ever done. I've _never _had to depend on someone else to get by, and it's bugging me that I had to start now... but Jas needs diapers, Liyah needs stuff for school and Hazel needs pull ups. We have to take care of our kids, and we need money."

"Seth, you should have _told _me. I'll get a job, or _you _can get a job; there are things that we can do!" she told him, anger filling her up.

"I know," he said, shaking his head.

"How do you think we're supposed to get better if you're keeping these kinds of things from me?" she asked him, standing to her feet.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he shouted. "But can you blame me? Can you seriously blame me, Alicia? After everything you've done to me, it's hard for me to be able to trust you like I did before! It's hard for me!"

Alicia sniffed and looked away, running her fingers through her hair. She sat back down, and nodded slowly.

"I understand," she whispered. Seth felt bad for going off, but he needed her to know.

"I'll get a job," he said, his voice much calmer. "It might be best if you could stay home with the kids. I've been meaning to get a job anyway," Seth said, breathing out. Alicia licked her lips, and nodded.

"O-okay. As long as we're in this together," she told him, looking into his eyes. It took him a second to respond, but he finally did.

"We are, Alicia," he said, causing her to smile a bit. She stood up and walked over to him, taking a seat on his lap. She smoothed her hand through his hair, and pressed her lips against his.

"I want things to keep going the way that they are," she said, sniffing. "I like being able to kiss you. I like being able to _touch_ you. I love you, Seth," she said, pressing her lips against his neck. She continued to plant kisses on his neck, causing him to sigh in content.

He reached his hand up and caressed her back, allowing his eyes to close. He loved Alicia, he really did. But, if he told her that, he'd be letting his guard down. If they were going to be together, she had to earn his trust, and his love.

She leaned back to look at him, and wiped the tear from her eye and stood up.

"I'm going to go check on Hazel. I hope her fever has gone down," she said, walking into the back. Seth sighed and rubbed his eyes, wondering _what _he was going to do.

…

Seth closed the door of his car, and walked into the store. He was at WalMart, because he knew that they were offering jobs. He had made an appointment, and now he was about to meet with the manager. It made him feel kind of low that he was searching for a job at a store, but he needed the money. His _family _needed the money.

He sat down with the manager, gave him his credentials, and told him about himself.

"I think you'd be good as a cashier," the manager said, writing down on Seth's evaluation sheet. Seth nodded, and looked around the office.

"I'm good with cash registers," Seth joked. The manager laughed, and reached out his hand to shake hands with Seth.

"I'll see you Monday," he said. Seth shook his hand, and stood to his feet.

"Thank you for the job," he told him. "You don't know how much this means."

"No problem," the manager said, sending him on his way. Seth headed back for his car, and dialed Alicia's number. She answered on the second ring.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Guess who got a job?" Seth asked excitedly.

"Seth! That's great!" she told him. He drove toward their house, a huge smile on his face.

"I start working at WalMart on Monday. Not the _best _job ever, but it's surely something," he said, turning on their street.

"I think it's perfect," she said. He pulled into their driveway, and parked the car.

"I'm outside. I'll see you when I get inside," he said, hanging up the phone. It also helped that his job was so close to their home.

He unlocked the door to their house and walked inside, closing the door after him. He walked into the kitchen to see Alicia preparing a snack for the girls. She turned around and smiled when she saw Seth.

"I'm really proud of you," she said, walking up to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and pecked his shoulder.

"_Believe _me, I had been looking online for job openings every single day. I was glad when I found a job that paid a good salary."

"See? Things are already getting better," she told him, a soft blush on her face. Seth couldn't figure out what way she meant that; were things getting better for their relationship, or money-wise? Either way, it was positive.

"Jake's gonna bring Jay Jay over here to play with the girls," Seth said, reaching for some chips that sat on the table.

"Okay," Alicia said, nodding. "I'll go make some dinner."

As she strolled away, he couldn't help that his eyes rested on her magnificent backside.

Later that night, Alicia went through some old family photos. She came across one of her, Aaliyah, and Seth. It was when Aaliyah was a little over one years old, and the only child. They looked so _happy. _She smiled at the picture, not even noticing when Seth ventured into the room.

"What are you up to?" he asked, plopping down on the bed. She looked over at him, and handed him the picture.

"Remember that?" she asked. He took the picture from her and stared at it, nodding his head.

"Yeah, I do," he said, handing it back to her. "That was that day when we went to that Resort, and were named the cutest family."

"Yeah. Those people had a good eye," she said, winking. Seth laughed, and relaxed on the bed.

"Where has the time gone?" he whispered, looking over at her. She stared at him with bittersweet eyes, reaching over to place her hand on top of his.

"I ask myself the same thing every day," she told him truthfully. He inched her hand to his lips and kissed it slowly, allowing a small smile to trace his lips. The feel of his lips made warmth surge through her body, and she wanted more.

She crawled over to where he lay, and straddled him. He looked toward the doorway to make sure no one was coming before resting his hands on either side of her thighs.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, rubbing his hands back and forth. She placed her palms on his chest and smiled sadly.

"You," she responded. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his, reaching her hands up to cup his face. He groaned lowly, squeezing at her waist.

The electricity going through their bodies made them think about nights earlier, when they gave themselves to each other after so long. It made the yearning for more even greater.

Seth's phone began to ring, causing them to break their kiss. They looked toward the phone on the nightstand, and Alicia groaned.

"Just ignore it," she breathed, swallowing his lips once again. She moaned into the kiss, as he trailed his fingers up her shirt. He flipped them over, so that he was hovering above her.

She grabbed his neck and brought him down to her, devouring his lips. Seconds later, his phone began to ring again. She huffed irritatedly, and stared at Seth with puppy dog eyes.

"It might be important," he said, reaching over and grabbing it. Jacob was calling.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Seth? Leah's in labor!" Jacob said quickly; his voice sounded full of panic.

"Really? Oh, uh, we're on our way!" Seth said, jumping out of the bed. Alicia looked up at him with narrowed eyes as he hung up the phone.

"Go get the girls up. Leah's in labor," Seth said hurriedly. Alicia's eyes widened, and she stood up as well.

"O-okay," she said, hurrying into the back. Pretty soon, there would be another baby in the Clearwater-Black family.

…

By the time they got to the hospital, they found out that Leah already had the baby.

"Is it a girl or a boy?" Alicia asked the nurse.

"It's a girl," the nurse said, a huge smile on her face.

"Finally Jake and Leah will know what it's like to have a girl," Seth said, a smile on his face.

They hurried to the room, and came face to face with Jacob and Leah, holding their newborn child.

Jay Jay was in Seth's arms, staring at his family with curious eyes. Once he laid eyes on the small child, he jumped from Seth's arms and hurried toward his father.

"She looks precious," Alicia whispered, lacing her arm through Seth's arms.

"I have to get a picture," he said, stepping forward. "Time for a family picture! Smile!"

Leah and Jacob looked up at the camera, and smiled the widest that they possibly could. They were happy to have a new baby, and Alicia and Seth were happy for them.

"You guys are old now," Seth joked, winking.

"Shut it," Leah warned, laughing afterward. Alicia walked up to stand beside Seth, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I remember when our girls were born," she breathed, quiet enough for just the two of them to hear. "Simply the best moments of my life."

Seth looked down at Alicia, and pressed his lips against her forehead. He remembered the births of his kids like it was yesterday. Some of his most treasured memories, circled around him and Alicia. If that didn't count for something, he didn't know what did.

**Author's Note: Reviewwwwws? (: **


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Has anyone seen that Hansel and Gretel movie with Booboo Stewart? Lol, just being honest, but that movie was a HOT MESS. I only watched it because he was in it, but it was ridiculous lol. Check it out on Netflix if you haven't already. **

Seth walked into the house after his first day of work. He had to admit that it was one of the most _interesting _days of his life. You'd be surprised at the sorts of people that you'd see in Walmart.

He headed into the front room, and noticed all of the toys sprawled across the floor. There was no one in sight, though. He narrowed his eyes, and walked into the nursery.

Jasmine was sitting in her crib, gnawing on her chubby fingers. She looked up when she saw Seth and squeaked happily. He grinned proudly and walked into the room, picking her up. He placed a kiss to her dimpled cheeks and instantly smelled the scent of baby shampoo. She must have just had a bath.

"Where's your mommy?" he asked, walking back out into the front room. Jasmine slapped her hands across Seth's face, causing him to wince. He gently put her hands down. "Don't bully daddy."

He paused when he heard excited screams coming from outside. He looked through the patio door, and noticed that Alicia had blown up the trampoline, and was outside bouncing with Hazel and Aaliyah.

He smirked when he came closer, watching as Aaliyah and Alicia bounced higher, making Hazel trip over her tiny legs. He slid the door open and walked out with Jasmine.

"Party without me?" he joked, as they all turned to face him.

"Daddy!" Aaliyah and Hazel called, jumping off of the trampoline. They hurried toward him, wrapping their arms around his legs. He had Jasmine in his arms, so he couldn't pick them up. His attention turned to Alicia, and he saw her smiling from the trampoline.

"Nice khakis," she winked, hopping down. He glanced down at his brown khakis, and blue polo shirt that he was required to wear for work.

"I think it compliments my curves," he joked, causing her to laugh heartily. She walked up to him and joined the group hug. He pecked her forehead, much like he used to do. It made warmth spread through her entire body.

"How was your first day of work?" she asked, as they all began to walk into the house. He laughed a bit, and placed Jasmine in her play pen.

"It was quite interesting. The people I saw there… I'd like to call it the _people of Walmart. _I should start making a scrapbook," he laughed. Alicia shook her head and sat down on the couch with Hazel.

"Oh, be nice," she said, giggling a bit. Aaliyah ran over to where her parents were and jumped up and down.

"Two days until my birthday party!" she screamed, an excited grin on her face.

"You know, your birthday is really close to your new baby cousin's birthday. That's pretty special," Seth said, joining Alicia on the couch.

"You mean Lauren?" Aaliyah asked. Seth nodded.

"Yeah, who else?" he asked, tickling her tummy. She bent over with laughter, hopping on Seth's lap.

"Are we having my birthday party at Chuck E Cheese?" Aaliyah asked politely. Seth looked to Alicia, who had a pout on her face. They knew that they wouldn't be able to afford a Chuck E Cheese birthday party.

"Um, no, sweetheart. We're going to have a nice little family party over here. Grandma's in town, so she'll be here," Seth said, pecking her cheek.

"Yeah, and your aunt Tiffany will be here too, with your cousin Jaelin," Alicia chimed in. Tiffany was _her _sister, who lived fairly close to them.

Aaliyah's face flickered with sadness, her bottom lip aching to poke out. She crossed her arms across her chest, and looked down.

"But I wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese," she pouted.

"We can't," Seth said; he had that look on his face, where he knew that he didn't feel like debating.

"Why not?" Aaliyah asked, attitude to her tone.

"Because we can't!" he said, causing her to clamp her mouth shut.

"You're mean," she argued, hopping down from his lap. She ran to her room, closing her door quietly. Seth sighed and leaned forward, rubbing his temple.

"She's going to be alright," Alicia said, rubbing his back.

"I know," Seth said, sitting up. "I just don't like her talking to me like that."

"Just give her a little space. She'll cheer up on her own," Alicia said, giving him a small smile.

"Alright," he said, sighing heavily. "I'm going to go take a nap."

He stood up from where he was sitting, and headed toward the master bedroom. Hazel looked up at Alicia, her brown eyes searching hers innocently.

"Daddy sad?" she asked. Alicia shook her head, and wrapped her up in a hug.

"No, baby. He's sleepy," she responded. She began to play in her daughter's hair. She loved the feel of it; with the African American texture from her side, and the Native American texture from Seth's side, it made for a gorgeous head of mixed, thick hair.

"Bwaid it!" Hazel said excitedly. Alicia began to braid it, enjoying the last minutes of daylight with her baby.

…

Alicia tip toed into the master bedroom, watching as Seth snoozed quietly. Oddly, he never snored. It was a good thing, because Alicia was a light sleeper, and she'd probably never get any sleep if Seth snored.

It reminded her of Chad… when she spent the night with him, she'd stay up all night and listen as his monstrous snores filled the entire room. The thought made her shudder, and she focused on nothing but her husband.

She walked over to where he slept, and sat down. He groaned a bit and blinked, taking a second to get his vision right. He smirked a bit when he laid eyes on Alicia.

She laced her fingers through his short hair, watching as he closed his eyes again. She couldn't help but notice that he was shirtless. He had a birthmark on his shoulder; it was small, and the shape of a heart. Apparently, Leah had a similar one on her waist. Alicia thought it was beautiful.

"Hi," she whispered, lying down beside him. He opened his eyes and inched closer to her, grazing his lips against hers.

"Hi," he responded.

"Did you miss being this tired?" she asked, wrapping her arm around his waist. He shook his head into his pillow, groaning.

"Not at all," he told her. Alicia smirked, and sat up straight.

"Well I can make you feel better," she whispered teasingly, her eyes scanning his body. He turned over on his back, giving her a look of _want_.

"Is that so?" he mumbled, smirking as she moved to straddle his waist.

"Mhmm," she breathed, swooping down to take his lips in a long, fiery kiss.

Back in Aaliyah's room, she felt bad for talking to Seth the way that she did. She just didn't understand why she couldn't have her birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. Maybe she did something wrong.

She jumped down from her bed, and made her way toward her parent's bedroom. She was going to ask them if they were mad at her; maybe she could get on their good side, and then they'd change their minds.

Seth let out a shaky breath as he eased into Alicia's warm core. They moaned in unison, as she dug her nails into the side of his waist. Of course, Seth wanted to be able to take control, so he flipped them over so that he was on top.

He began to rock into her at a slow pace, making Alicia throw her head back. She let out soft moans, bucking up her hips for better contact.

"Mommy? Daddy?" they heard a voice ask. Both of their heads snapped toward the door, where Aaliyah stood. She looked bewildered.

"Fuck," Alicia breathed.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. Seth made sure that the covers were covering them perfectly, and swallowed.

"Uh… me and mommy are… bed massaging," he said, causing Alicia to give him a slanted look.

"Bed massaging?" Alicia mouthed. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Like… foot massages?" Aaliyah asked.

"Yeah, just like those," Seth said, nodding.

"Oh, okay," she said, as if she totally understood.

"Baby, close mommy and daddy's door," Alicia said; she was ridiculously horny, and as each second passed, she felt like her body was going to erupt in flames.

"Okay," Aaliyah said, closing the door as she left out.

"Why didn't we do that in the first place?" Seth asked, plopping his face into her shoulder. Alicia laughed timidly, and smacked him square on the ass.

"I don't know about you, but I'm dying over here," she laughed. Aaliyah's interruption was long forgotten after that.

…

Aaliyah sat on the carpet with the rest of her classmates, as Rebecca Garcia finished talking about something that she learned over the weekend. She had learned how to play hopscotch.

"Okay, Aaliyah, you're up next," her teacher, Mrs. Dowdy, told her. Proudly, Aaliyah walked up to the front of the class.

"I learned what bed massages are," she said. Mrs. Dowdy narrowed her eyes confusedly.

"Bed massages? What are those, sweet heart?" the teacher asked.

"It's when my mommy and daddy rub themselves together!" she said, nodding with assurance. The teacher covered her mouth, as some of the other students began to laugh.

"Okay, honey. Take a seat," the teacher said, making a note to contact the Clearwater's _right _after school.

**Author's Note: Hahaha! There's nothing worse than a little kid walking in on her parents; but I'm sure everyone has had to go through that at one point. (except for me!) Lol, but review. ^.^**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I know that it has taken me awhile to update things lately, but it's only because I don't have the privacy of my own computer anymore, so I can't just log on anytime that I want to. /: life sucks. **

Alicia was fixing herself some breakfast as the house phone blared loudly in her ear. She grimaced, and snatched it off of the receiver.

"Hello?" she asked, walking over to join Seth at the table. He smiled at her timidly, finishing up his meal.

"Mrs. Clearwater? This is Mrs. Dowdy, your daughter's teacher. I was wondering if I could have a conference with you and your husband this afternoon, when you come to pick her up from school?" she asked; her voice sounded a bit distant and uncomfortable. Alicia frowned a bit, and Seth noticed.

"Okay, is everything alright?" she wondered.

"Well, Aaliyah had said something in front of the class that was highly inappropriate. I don't think that she realized it, but it was inappropriate nonetheless. I'd just like to discuss a few things with the both of you," she said, clearing her throat. Alicia felt her stomach drop, and she felt as if she _knew _what was about to take place.

"We'll be there," she whispered, before hanging up the phone. She looked up at Seth, who was just as confused as she looked.

"What's wrong?" he asked cautiously.

"Um… apparently Liyah said something inappropriate in front of her class… and the teacher said that she didn't seem fully _aware _of what she was saying. What if…?" Alicia sighed heavily, and pushed her food away from her. Seth had the same look of horror on his face.

"You don't think she…?" he began; she already knew what he was about to say, because she was thinking the same exact thing.

"There's only one way to find out," she groaned, dreading the moment that she'd have to pick up her daughter.

…

Alicia and Seth walked into Mrs. Dowdy's classroom, searching around nervously. Hazel and Jasmine were with Alicia's mother, who gladly decided to watch her grandchildren.

"There she is," Seth said, watching as Aaliyah read a Junie B Jones book in the corner. She looked up when she saw her parents, and grinned excitedly.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she called, hopping up from the beanbag chair that she was sitting in. She hurried over to her parents, jumping into Seth's arms.

Mrs. Dowdy walked over to the three of them, smiling uncomfortably. She looked back and forth between Seth and Alicia, before telling Aaliyah to finish her book while she talked to her parents. Aaliyah huffed and slowly walked back to her beanbag chair.

"If you'd join me at my desk," she said, walking over to her small, wooden desk. Seth and Alicia exchanged glances before walking over to sit across from her. Mrs. Dowdy fiddled with some pencils on her desk before turning to the couple.

"Okay, well, every Monday we have the kids go up in front of the class and share what they learned over the weekend. It's a developmental thing that they look forward to. It's very rare that they ever share anything that could get them into trouble, but unfortunately, Aaliyah shared something called… _bed massages._"

Seth groaned, slapping himself internally. Alicia looked down at her lap, hiding her red cheeks from Mrs. Dowdy. She just _knew_ that this was going to be the topic of their discussion.

"Oh God," Seth whispered to himself. Mrs. Dowdy cleared her throat, and continued.

"She said that it was when her mommy and daddy rubbed themselves-

"Yeah, I know what she said. I'm the one that told her," Seth interrupted, avoiding her explanation; the situation was already awkward enough. Alicia glanced over at him, and noticed that he was just as red as she was.

"You see, when young children are exposed to things such as sexual activity, it gives them a different mindset than one that an average four or five year old should have. A more _mature _mindset; one that wouldn't do them much justice when they hit their teen years," she said, frowning at them intensely. Alicia raised her eyebrows, biting back her tongue.

"Excuse me?" she asked, refraining from cussing her daughter's teacher out. Who did she think she was, judging them so harshly?

"I'm just saying that you might want to partake in, er, sexual activity in a confined area, where your daughter wouldn't be able to-

"Okay, stop right there. My husband and I _do not _have sex out in the open for our children to see. We are not irresponsible. This was actually the first time that we had been walked in on, and we didn't know what else to say. If we would have known that she would come to school and tell her friends, we would have sat her down and discussed it more in depth. Since we are aware that she is having discussions about this, we will talk to her. But I don't need you schooling us on how to raise our children. I appreciate it, but no thanks," Alicia said, rising to her feet. Mrs. Dowdy looked appalled, and Seth just looked flat out embarrassed. He couldn't help but to agree with his wife, though.

"Well, I suppose we're done here," Mrs. Dowdy said, avoiding Alicia's glare.

"I suppose we are," Alicia said, walking over to Aaliyah.

"We'll talk to Aaliyah," Seth assured, trying to shed some light on the current predicament. Mrs. Dowdy nodded, and turned to her computer. Seth walked over to join Aaliyah and Alicia, who were now heading to the exit. He didn't know how he was going to talk to his daughter about what him and Alicia were doing, but Alicia was smart; hopefully she would know the right things to say.

…

"Baby, we need to talk," Alicia said, peeking over at Seth. The three of them were sitting to the table, looking around at each other with awkward and confused faces.

"About what?" Aaliyah wondered, resting her head in her tiny hand.

"It's about the bed massages," Seth said, sighing heavily. It made him sick to his stomach when her eyes lit up.

"I told my class about those! My friend Tess said that her mommy and daddy do that too," Aaliyah responded. Alicia groaned and closed her eyes.

"Liyah, I don't want you going to school, or anywhere else, talking about stuff like that. I know you're young, and you might not understand, but bed massages are for adults only. It's something that mommies and daddies do to…" Alicia looked over at Seth, who was looking intently at her. "It's what they do to show how much they love each other." He smirked a bit, and she returned it.

"Okay," Aaliyah said, hopping down from her chair. Seth and Alicia exchanged curious glances, watching as she walked toward her room.

"That was easier than I thought," Seth mentioned, laughing afterward. Alicia shrugged, and stood to her feet. He looked up at her, and noticed the glint in her eyes.

"Come here," she said quietly, reaching her hand out. He stared at her hand, before wrapping his large one around hers. He stood to his feet, and followed after her as she led him to the mirror that was hanging up on the wall.

He stared at their reflections, and noticed that her lips were puckered out. He couldn't even explain how much he loved it when she did that. He wrapped his hands around her waist, resting his chin on top of her head. She smiled warmly, resting her hands on top of his.

As he stood behind her, he couldn't help the sudden urge to squeeze her butt. She gasped, and turned to face him.

"Are you trying to make Liyah walk in on us again?" she whispered, a seductive edge to her tone. He wiggled his eyebrows, and pressed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. Their lips began to move, catching a rhythm between the two. It was soft and slow; exactly how they liked it.

Alicia moaned quietly and broke the kiss, pecking his forehead before pulling away to look into his eyes. In that moment, he swore to himself that he'd never love anyone as much as he loved her. He knew, without a doubt, that it was true.

…

Seth brought the mail into the house, absentmindedly flipping through it. He was already dressed for work, knowing that he had to leave in about twenty minutes.

He walked over to Alicia, who was currently fixing breakfast. He pecked her shoulder, earning a breathy sigh. She turned to face him briefly, smiling shyly. They were like two little teenagers in love.

"Could you tell Aaliyah to get her butt in here before it's time to take her to school?" Alicia asked jokingly; it was Aaliyah's birthday, and she was sure to act like a diva for the entire day. Seth snickered before setting the mail on the counter, and walking into Aaliyah's room. She was zipping up her pants, when she looked up at him. Seth noticed that her hair wasn't brushed.

"You gonna go to school looking like that, babe?" he asked, fetching her brush from her dresser. She huffed, and narrowed her eyes.

"I think you should be nicer to the birthday girl!" she said, her eyes narrowed. Seth laughed, and swept her into his arms. He kissed both of her cheeks, and began running the brush through her hair.

"I'm just kidding. Happy birthday, sweet heart," he told her. She smiled cheekily, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you!" she squealed. Seth pecked her cheek again and sat her down on her feet. He reached for a scrunchie so that he could tie her beautiful hair into a ponytail.

"How old are you now? 17?" he joked.

"I'm five!" she corrected. He chuckled, and sat the brush down.

"Be in the kitchen in five minutes, birthday girl," he told her, before exiting out into the kitchen. He frowned as he came closer to Alicia; she had a piece of paper in her hands, reading it with a look of absolute horror.

"Alicia?" he asked. She blinked slowly, her brown eyes pooling with tears. She finally looked up at him, her bottom lip trembling.

"It's the divorce papers… it's _final._"

Seth's heart skipped a beat at the realization of what she had just said.

**Author's Note: **** reviews?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: As many of you may know, I just previously completed Obsessed. This was a spin off from that story, and I'm glad that you guys have enjoyed reading it. This story will have 2 more chapters, and then it will be completed as well. Please enjoy!**

"_What?_" Seth exclaimed, snatching the paper from Alicia's hands. She choked up, covering her mouth with her trembling hand. She closed her eyes, whimpering quietly.

With revulsion, he read over the paper. He read it over again, _praying_ that there was a mistake. Fury boiled inside of him as he crumpled the paper up, tossing it across the room. Alicia flinched, as her sobs grew louder.

He looked over at her, the sight of her agony breaking his heart. His pain mirrored hers, tears stinging his eyes.

"Alicia," he breathed, stepping closer to her.

"No," she moaned, slamming her fists onto the counter.

"Alicia, I'm so sorry," he pleaded, his voice becoming stuffy.

"There has to be something we can do!" she shouted, leaning over the counter. She put her face in her hands, and Seth watched as her body began to shake.

"Leesh," he cried, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He wished that he could say something to calm her down, but he was in just as much pain as she was.

When he signed those papers, he was _angry._ When he put them in the mail, he was_ fuming_. But now that it was final, he was _excruciated_.

She turned to him, her eyes swollen. Her bottom lip was quivering, and she was breathing unevenly. Tears were still falling quickly from her eyes.

"Seth, _please_," she whispered, burying her face into his chest. He held onto her firmly, resting his chin on top of her head. He finally allowed a few of his own tears to escape. "I love you," she told him, her sobs returning. "I love you so much; I can't lose you. I _can't_."

She pulled away to look at him, awaiting his response. Another tear streamed down his cheek, but he was frozen; he couldn't say anything even if he wanted to. He loved her_ so_ much, so why was it so hard for him to tell her that? She looked absolutely mortified; the last thing he meant to do was hurt her even more.

"Mommy! Daddy! I'm all ready," Aaliyah said, hurrying into the kitchen. She stopped abruptly when she laid eyes on them. Alicia gave Seth a look of affliction before resting her eyes on her five year old daughter. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, feigning a good mood.

"Happy birthday, princess," she said, walking over to crouch down to her level.

"Thanks, mommy," Aaliyah said, wrapping her arms around her mothers neck. Alicia held her close, fighting off the cries that were stuck in her throat. "I'm excited for my birthday party today."

"Me too," Alicia said, pulling back. Aaliyah scrunched her face, and rubbed her small hand down the side of her mother's face.

"Are you crying, mommy?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Alicia quickly felt under her eyes, and sure enough, they were still wet. She wiped them away, laughing slightly.

"Oh, you know how I am. I'm just glad to have a daughter as sweet as you," she said, which she meant. Seth swallowed thickly, turning away from the two. He didn't know if he'd be able to handle it.

"Oh, okay. I didn't want you to be sad," Aaliyah said, her smile returning. Alicia looked over at Seth, whose eyes found their way back to hers. She sighed a bit, and turned away from him. She didn't know whether she should be angry at him, or herself.

"Let's get you to school, munchkin," Seth said, swiping his keys from the counter.

"Okay! Are you guys still bringing me cupcakes?" Aaliyah wondered. Alicia stayed silent, looking over at Seth. He nodded slowly, raising his eyebrows at Alicia. "I'll take that as a yes!"

Aaliyah hurried out the door, skipping down the sidewalk. Seth and Alicia continued to stare at each other, neither one of them knowing what to say.

"I'll see you a bit later," Seth finally said, pretending as if nothing had happened. That was his way of trying to avoid the pain. Alicia, on the other hand, wasn't going to pretend.

"Can you really look at me like nothing's changed?" she whispered, her voice breaking at the end. "I don't know if you've registered it yet, but we are not _married _anymore! I am not your wife, and you are not my husband." The more she spoke, the more Seth wanted to rip his heart out—as if it already hadn't been done.

"I know," he told her, swallowing the lump in his throat. If he said anything more, he'd be at her feet, crying like a baby. He was trying to stay strong, but she wasn't making it easy for him. Instead of preparing for a fight, Alicia stood to her feet and turned around, heading for the bedroom. She slammed the door, and Seth listened as she fell onto their mattress. The crying picked up seconds later.

He couldn't stand there and listen to that without doing the same, so he exited the house. Aaliyah was waiting by the passenger side, singing a song under her breath. He sniffed, smiling at his daughter.

"Finally!" she said, once he came into view. He chuckled lightly, taking Alicia off of his mind. It was going to be hard, but he didn't want to ruin Aaliyah's big day.

"Let's hit the road," he told her, winking. She giggled, and they hopped in the car.

…

Aaliyah's birthday party was a success. Everyone had come; Jacob managed to stop by with Jay Jay, along with a birthday present from the entire Black family. Leah was still on bed rest from having the baby, so she wasn't able to make it. She sent her birthday wishes, though.

Alicia's sister Tiffany was there, along with her son Jaelin; He was the same age as Aaliyah. Sue Clearwater, Seth's mom, was also one of the party guests. Aaliyah had tons of presents, a big cake, and Seth's job even allowed him to rent one of Walmart's bouncy houses for a great price. She seemed happy, which was one of the most important parts.

Seth sat in one of the lawn chairs, accompanied by Jacob. Hazel and Jay Jay were feeding each other skittles, watching as Aaliyah and some of her friends from school jumped around in the bouncy house. Seth looked over at Alicia, who was arranging the snacks on the table. Her sister was giving her a look of sympathy, and he knew that Alicia had told her. Alicia had a vacant look on her face that she was eagerly trying to hide. It made Seth sick to his stomach, because he knew that he was the reason.

"I just can't believe that we're not married anymore," Seth said, breaking the silence. Jacob looked over at him, sighing heavily. It took a while for Seth to trust Jacob again, but if Leah could, he could too.

"Well, you still love her. Don't you?" Jacob asked.

"Of course," Seth said, eying the two toddlers in front of him. They had absolutely no idea what was going on at the moment.

"Then remarry her," Jacob said nonchalantly, as if it were obvious. Seth widened his eyes, slapping himself internally. Why hadn't he thought of that?

"Okay, everyone! It's time to sing happy birthday," Alicia announced, watching as everyone began to gather around the cake. She looked absolutely beautiful; her hair was worn down in waves, she had on a light blue maxi dress that hugged at her hips in all the right places, and she even wore her necklace with her birth stone on it that Seth had given her for _her_ birthday. He noticed that she was still wearing her wedding ring, and he was still wearing his.

She avoided eye contact as he came to stand beside her and Aaliyah. She was jumping around excitedly, her hair bouncing on her shoulders. Alicia lit the five shaped candle, and stole a glance at Seth for a brief moment before focusing her attention on the birthday girl.

"Make a wish, baby girl," Alicia said, kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes, and blew heavily on the candle. Everyone clapped as the flame blew out.

"Now for the cake!" Jacob announced, causing everyone to laugh. Sue and Jacob were on cake duty, so they put on their gloves and began cutting pieces.

Seth hadn't really greeted Tiffany since he was so consumed with his problems, so he made his way over to her. She was handing Jaelin a piece of cake when she noticed him coming over.

"Hey, sis," he said, smiling widely.

"Hey, Seth," she said, chuckling a bit. They gave each other a hug, and stared at each other awkwardly. He sighed, because it was _never_ awkward talking to Tiffany. She was one of the best sister-in-laws that you could ever have; she was quite the comedian, and an all around good person.

"I'm glad you could make it," he said, hoping to make the tension fade. She smiled, and nodded.

"Of course I could. I wouldn't miss my niece's birthday party for the world," she told him. He waited for her to end her statement with something hilarious like she usually did, but she didn't.

He looked toward the table, and noticed Alicia looking over at them. She had Jasmine in her arms, feeding her some of the cake. She looked away when Seth locked eyes with her.

"I'll see you around," he said, heading toward the table.

"Bye," she said, looking after him. She felt bad for her brother-in-law, but most importantly, her sister.

Once he stopped at the table, Alicia eyed him disgustingly before making a move to walk away.

"Just wait," he pleaded, reaching for her arm. She snatched away, looking around to make sure that no one was looking at them.

"I have nothing to say to you, Seth," she said; she had the same look in her eyes from earlier. She walked away, leaving him to stand there with guilt; she was truly upset at him. He walked over to where Jacob stood, devouring a slice of cake.

"Cover for me," he said, patting his back. Jacob narrowed his eyes.

"Where are you going?" he wondered.

"I have something I gotta do," he said, and hurried away. Jacob sighed, searching around for Alicia; she wouldn't be happy when she found out that he had left.

"Please hurry back," Jacob prayed, swallowing thickly.

Seth hurried into the room, and strolled through his drawer. There was a wad of money that he had been saving up, and he desperately needed it at the moment. Without a second thought, he left the house with only one thing on his mind; saving his marriage.

…

By the time Seth made it back, the sky was darkening. When he entered the house, it was clear of people, and the house was spotless. He walked into Aaliyah's room, and saw her playing with some of her presents. She looked up when she saw Seth, and smiled widely.

"Hey, daddy!" she said excitedly.

"Hey, sweetie. Did you have fun at your party?" he asked. She nodded quickly, showing him some of the dolls that she was playing with.

"Lots! Me and my friends had fun in the bouncy house," she told him proudly.

"Looks like you got a lot of presents too," he said, looking around.

"A ton of them!" she corrected, giggling. He smirked, and walked over to peck her forehead.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time, Liyah. I love you," he told her.

"I love you too!" she responded, hopping up to give him a hug. He hugged her back, reveling in the fact that he had such amazing children.

"Goodnight," he said, heading for the door.  
"Nighty night," she told him. He walked out, and inched toward the master bedroom. He knew that Alicia was going to give him hell for disappearing on the birthday party.

When he opened the door, he saw her lying across the bed, facing the opposite direction. She was in a large hoodie, most likely his, and some short, black shorts.

He headed toward the bed, falling onto it with a thud. Alicia didn't even flinch.

"Alicia," he said, resting his hand on her waist. She stirred a bit, but didn't say anything. She was clearly awake, though. "I'm sorry for leaving the party, but I had something that I had to do." Still silence. She was _furious_ at him. "Look, I know that things haven't been easy. We were both 17 when we had our first child, not to mention married before we were even adults. I didn't always know what we were going to do, but I did know this; I _love_ you."

At those words, she turned to face him. Her cheeks were wet with smeared tears, and her eyes were puffy, but her lips were parted in shock.

"You still love me?" she whispered, both stunned and filled with warmth. He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. He tightened his hand around her waist, tugging her closer. She sighed into the kiss, holding onto his shoulder. With reluctance, he pulled away.

"I never stopped, Alicia. I'm not going to lie and say that you didn't hurt me, but I could never stop loving you. When I married you that day, I married you because I knew that no matter what, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I am_ so_ sorry that I filed for a divorce, and I'm sorry that I signed those papers. But if you'd let me, I'd like to make up for that," he said, reaching into his pocket. She gulped, her hands trembling. She searched his eyes curiously.

"What are you-

She paused when she saw the ring. She gasped, covering her mouth with her shivering hand. The tears returned, as well as the uneven breathing. Seth couldn't help but smile.

"Alicia Diane Clearwater, will you marry me… again?" he asked, putting the ring to her finger. She removed her hand from her mouth, smiling widely through the thick tears that pooled her eyes.

"Yes," she cried, moving to wrap around her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes, yes."

He held onto her, forgiving her for everything that had happened, as well as forgiving himself. He had Alicia, his amazing wife, and he didn't plan on letting her go.

**Author's Note: Where are my reviewers at? Show me some love! :D **


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: It saddens me that some of you still don't like Alicia. ): I absolutely adore Seth and Alicia, and even though she made a horrible choice, she's still trying to make up for it. Regardless, they're in love, and Seth's willing to make it work. Sorry that some of you don't agree with that, but with that said, here's the final chapter to this spin-off. **

Seth and Alicia didn't want to wait to plan a huge wedding much like their first one. They were eager to renew their vows and get the certificate that reinforced their marriage.

The following day, Seth called in sick and the two of them, along with their three kids, headed straight for the courthouse. She wore the same dress that she wore on their wedding day years earlier, and he wore the same suit.

The biggest difference was the fact that their three kids were there, watching from the pews. Hazel and Jasmine couldn't exactly understand what was happening, but Aaliyah was old enough to know. She smiled warmly to herself as she watched her parents take hold of each others hands.

"The vows you are about to exchange will serve as a verbal representation of the non-verbal emotions that are as real as any thing that can be seen, heard or touched.  
For it is not the words that you will speak today that will bond you together as one - but the strength of the love and commitment found deep within your souls," the pastor said, looking toward the both of them. Seth smiled a bit before giving his vows.

"After I found out about what happened, I had to ask myself a serious question," Seth began, looking deep into Alicia's brown eyes. She swallowed thickly, clutching tightly to his hands. "Was our relationship worth it? I thought about it, and then I thought about it some more. For a minute, I allowed my anger to take over, and I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Honestly, our relationship is worth so much more than I could ever imagine possible. Through all of the hurt that I went through, I still caught myself thinking about you, and how much I couldn't stand being mad at you because I needed you in my arms. The thing is, I know you truly love me, and I truly love you. If I didn't, we wouldn't be standing here right now. I just pray that we never have to go through this heartache again, because I'd rather spend our time loving each other, than wasting time being angry. I'm not saying that we're going to be perfect, but all I'm saying is we're going to be _worth_ it. And Alicia, you're definitely worth it; you're worth all of it. I love you."

Tears were streaming down Alicia's caramel cheeks, and she had the biggest smile on her face. She looked toward the ground, her hands shaking. Seth held onto them firmly, sending warmth throughout her body. The pastor looked to her, a serene gaze on his face.

"I don't know how I got so fortunate," Alicia whispered, another tear sliding down her face. "I messed up big time, and I truly felt like I didn't deserve you. I still feel that way, which is why I'm so blessed to have you in my life. You accept me for my faults, flaws, and all. You let me know when I'm wrong, and you don't try to hide the way you feel. You're everything I need; everything I wish I could be. Any girl would be lucky to be here, standing in front of you right now. I thank you, _so _much, that you chose me. I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I did to you and our family, but it means the absolute world to me that you're going to be able to. I know it's going to take a while to for you to be able to trust me again, but I _promise_, I'll never hurt you again, baby. You're the only one for me; you're my rock. I can't remember a time when you weren't there for me; even when we were kids in high school, or adults as we are now, you've always been the complete love of my entire, excuse my language pastor,_ fucking_ life. I love you so much, Seth."

There was so much more that she wanted to say to him, but telling by the look on his face, he already knew. He pulled her in closer, and she noticed the unshed tears in his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I love _you_," she whispered back, eager to kiss him. She was ready for her _honeymoon_.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" the pastor asked, looking toward the three girls.

"Me!" Aaliyah and Hazel shouted in harmony. Jasmine just clapped her hands wildly. Seth and Alicia looked toward their gorgeous daughters, smiling proudly.

"Seth, will you take Alicia to be your wife, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish her friendship and love her today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor her, laugh with her and cry with her? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?" he asked. Seth gave her a serious look, and nodded his head.

"I do," he breathed, watching her face light up.

"Alicia, will you take Seth to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love? Will you cherish his friendship and love him today, tomorrow and forever? Will you trust and honor him, laugh with him and cry with him? Will you be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?" he asked. Even though she didn't stay true to the faithful part in her previous vows, she swore to _God_ that she'd never break her promise again.

"I do," she cried, lacing her arms around his neck. "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Seth, you may kiss your bride," the pastor said, a tranquil smile on his face.

Seth closed the distance between them, attacking her lips with urgency. She held onto his shoulders, moving her lips over his with intensity. She didn't think it was possible to feel as content as she did at that moment. Kissing Seth felt like she was kissing the best thing that could possibly grace this earth, and he truly was; to her, at least.

After a while of kissing, they needed to catch a good lungful of air. They both pulled away at the same time, breathing heavily.

Aaliyah stood to her feet, taking hold of Hazel's hand. They began making their way toward their parents, excited grins on their faces. Jasmine managed to get down from the pew, and crawled after them; she'd be walking any day now.

Seth and Aaliyah met them halfway, all of them letting out thrilled squeals. Alicia picked Jasmine up, while Seth swept up Hazel. Aaliyah hugged at both of their legs.

"I'm glad my birthday wish came true," Aaliyah said, her face turning red.

"What was your wish, baby?" Alicia wondered.

"That my family would become a_ family_ again," she confessed, smiling afterwards. Seth and Alicia stared at each other, and couldn't help the bittersweet feeling that stood between them.

"I'm glad your wish came true too, Liyah," Alicia said, her eyes never leaving Seth's.

"Me too," he agreed, inching his face toward hers.

He kissed her slowly, knowing in his heart that they were going to be okay.

Seth and Alicia were going to continue to rebuild their relationship, and the money issues were slowly going to fade away. With the support of one another, they would never have to worry about anything getting in the way of their happiness ever again.

**Author's Note: That's the end. :') I hope y'all enjoyed this story. Leave reviews? **


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